


Symbolon

by kyrdwyn



Category: Batman (Comics), Green Arrow, Red Robin (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Shapeshifters, M/M, Underage Sex, i love my tropes, offscreen mpreg
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-02
Updated: 2012-11-02
Packaged: 2017-11-17 14:14:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 27,613
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/552441
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kyrdwyn/pseuds/kyrdwyn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>With Lian extremely injured in the Star City attack, and certain former friends more interesting in proving he's relapsed than in helping him, Roy will do anything he can to get Lian the medical attention and care she needs, even if it means ignoring his own injuries and going mercenary, taking any job he can. Hired to steal a dragon's egg, he gets more than he bargained for when the dragon turns out to be a shapeshifting Tim Drake, former Robin and Roy's one-time lover...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Symbolon

**Author's Note:**

> My entry for dcu_bang 2012. Full of some of my favorite tropes, and favorite characters. Shamelessly self indulgent fic, really.
> 
> Fanwork by somehowunbroken, but s/he is currently without power due to Sandy, so this will be edited with the link when s/he can get back online.

"I need your help."

Robin, or whatever he was going by now, looked up from his lunch, giving Roy a once over. Roy knew he looked like hell, but he didn't care. He wasn't here as the former Red Arrow or the former Arsenal. Hell, he wasn't here as a hero at all. The only reason he was here, at a cafe two blocks from Berlin's Musuem für Naturkunde, was because of Robin.

"I'm not in the business anymore," Robin-Tim-said coldly.

"Not the kind of help I need."

That got the kid's attention, and he set his fork down and gestured to the chair opposite him. Roy sat down, wincing as the pressure of steadying himself on his right arm jarred the still healing nerves. Dr. Mid-Nite had done his best to repair the arm after Prometheus' attempt to remove it on the Watchtower, the day Star City had been attacked, but it still hurt like hell sometimes. 

A waitress came over, smiling at them, and Tim ordered something in German. Once she'd left, he turned to Roy. Roy marveled at the kid's ability to look like nothing was wrong, even when it was clear, if you knew what to look for, that he was one bad day away from telling the whole world to go to hell. He hoped he hadn't been part of that. They'd only slept together a few times, after Roy and Kendra had broken up, before Bruce Wayne's death, but it had seemed like there might have been something between them. Then Darkseid happened, Bruce died, and Tim had broken it off, retreating into Robin in his grief. 

"What kind of help are you looking for?" Tim took a sip of his drink.

"The kind that comes with the Wayne name."

Tim scowled. "Then you should ask Dick."

Roy scowled back. "If he wasn't being such an asshole in the cowl, I would."

That earned him a snort. "Living up to his name."

"Yeah." Roy thought about that argument with Dick and Dinah, then shook his head to clear that memory. "You heard what happened to Star City?"

Nodding, Tim motioned the waitress to put the drink he'd ordered in front of Roy. Roy smiled his thanks at the waitress. When she was gone, he turned back to Tim. "My daughter was badly injured. Ollie went off the rails going after Prometheus and Electrocutioner, Dick and Dinah think I'm relapsing from my injuries and pain meds and if I try to talk to them about Lian, they keep starting in on my 'issues', and I wish I knew why they were so focused on that and not Lian. Connor is God knows where, maybe with Mia on that island they use as a retreat. I don't know where else to turn to get Lian to the doctors she needs. They won't see her without a reference, and the doctors she's seeing right now aren't important enough."

Tim sat back. "And you figure I can make that happen, that I'm important enough."

"You're Bruce Wayne's son." Roy swallowed his pride, what little he had left. "Please, Robin. She's all I have. I can't lose her."

Tim winced at the name, but he nodded. "Get the details to Lucius Fox. The Wayne Foundation will make it happen. I'll ensure it."

Roy opened his mouth to argue, then Tim's words registered, and sighed in relief, blinking back tears he refused to shed. He'd expected more of a fight. "Thank you."

"I need a favor, since you're in the area," Tim said with a wry smile. "Price of my assistance."

He looked up at that, frowning. "I'm not in the business anymore, either."

"Good, we can be not in the business together as we prove Bruce is alive."

Roy blinked at Tim. "Alive?" He hadn't heard any rumors of that.

Tim nodded. "Alive. I just need proof to convince the League. And Batman." And wow, was that last name said with a lot of bitterness. Roy empathized with that. That last argument, before Roy had left for Berlin, kept flashing through his mind. _Where are they, Roy? Where are you stashing them? I thought you were better than this._

"What do you need from me?"

Tim grinned, and it was not a nice grin. "Backup as I break into the Musuem für Naturkunde and get the proof."

Roy blinked. "What, Bruce is incubating in one of the fossilized dragon eggs they have on display?”

An odd look crossed Tim's face, but he shook is head. “No, I'm after something else in there.”

Shaking his head in disbelief, Roy smiled back. "All right. What's the plan, Tim?"

"You're in?"

"I'm in." It was the least he could do for Tim, since the man was helping Lian.

"Good. Here's what I was thinking. . ."

* * *

Roy woke to the smell of bacon and eggs mingled with the lingering scent of sex. He closed his eyes, rolled over, and breathed deeply as he stretched. His muscles hurt in all the good ways, and brought to mind memories of the night before, the two of them getting back to Tim's hotel room after the heist had been accomplished. Tim had been buzzed from finding the fossilized Batarang, and looked so good that Roy couldn't help but kiss him. After a startled moment, Tim had kissed back. 

Roy felt like he'd kissed lighting. It roared through him, making him crave more of Tim. He kissed Tim deeper, pushing Tim against the wall to hold him in place. Tim didn't try to escape, rubbing himself against Roy and making delicious whimpering sounds. They'd somehow made their way across the room to the bedroom, shedding clothing along the way. It had been an extremely pleasurable night for them, though Roy wasn't sure the neighbors had appreciated the screams. It certainly hadn't been anything like their previous times together, but they hadn't been fueled by adrenaline from a museum heist then, so maybe that was the difference.

Smiling, Roy got up out of bed and snagged his jeans off the floor, pulling them on. He could feel love bites and other bruises on his skin, and they felt good. He felt alive, more alive than he had since Prometheus. 

Tim looked up from his breakfast as Roy came into the living room, his cell phone held between his ear and shoulder as he talked to the person on the other end. "Correct, injured in the Star City attack. Her father is a friend of mine, and I want to make sure she has the best treatment possible. Excellent, I'll get him to forward you the information. And Lucius? I'd rather this was kept between us. Thank you." Tim hung up his cell phone. "Lucius Fox is expecting your call about Lian."

Roy bit his lip. Sure, Tim had said yesterday he'd make this happen, but to _hear_ him arrange for Lian's care... "Thank you."

Tim gave Roy a smile. "You're welcome."

Roy couldn't help kiss that smile, tasting lightning once more, and breakfast was cold by the time they got around to eating it. The neighbors still didn't appreciate the screams. Roy, Tim splayed out beneath him, head thrown back in pleasure, didn't care.

* * *

Roy crouched in the lee of two large boulders, his binoculars focused on the area where the dragon should emerge from the cave in the next few minutes. He'd been tracking the dragon's movements for the past few days, to determine when the dragon left, and for how long. His employer wanted the egg the dragon was guarding. He'd tried to explain _why_ he wanted the egg, but Roy hadn't cared. He just needed to know how much the man was willing to pay for the egg and where he wanted it dropped off. Well, that and the proper handling of the egg. The man wanted the contents viable, as he put it. And he was willing to pay good money. Money that would pay for Lian's care, for the 24 hour nursing care that she had, for the therapy and the follow up doctor visits. 

While Tim had come through on the specialist, and Tim had even arranged for the man's fees and all associated costs to be paid by the Wayne Foundation, everything else was expensive, and Roy had cut off ties with everyone else. He wouldn't go back to Dick or Dinah, not with their accusations of him being on drugs again, accusations of him needing the money to score, instead of for Lian's care.

So he took odd jobs, some of which (a lot of which) he wasn't proud of. But for Lian, he'd do it.

Movement, and Roy focused back on the entrance to the cave. A large snout appeared, tentatively sniffing the area. Roy moved back into the rocks, hoping his scent wasn't too strong. He'd used what he could to make himself smell like part of the landscape, and no matter how desperately he wished for a shower, the job came first. 

Apparently satisfied, the dragon's head began to emerge. Black scales and deeper black eyes emerged, the fading sunlight glinting indigo on the dragon's scales as she moved. She stopped halfway out of the cave, tail and hindquarters still hidden, and stretched her wings. Roy couldn't help the glance of appreciation over the sight. She would dwarf Superman in height, and the wingspan was larger than most airplanes Roy knew of.

Tail twitching, the dragon turned around and gave a last glance at the mouth of the cave before jumping into the air, the initial down sweep of her wings throwing dirt and sand up. Roy blocked his face from the debris, missing some of the dragon's flight. He looked up enough to see when she disappeared into the distance, though, sunlight gleaming off something carried in the claws of one of her forelegs.

He didn't move then, waiting ten minutes. When she hadn't returned, Roy tucked his binoculars into his pouch and put his night vision goggles on his head, pushed up while he was in daylight, and made his way down to the mouth of the cave. He kept his back to the walls as he moved deeper into the cave.

Fifty feet in, and the light from the mouth of the cave had faded, but enough light came from deeper in the cave that Roy could see ahead of him without the goggles. It got brighter as he approached around a large curve. Scorch marks lined the walls, testament to this dragon, or maybe others, using the curve as a line of defense. Roy pulled his bow our and nocked an arrow, hoping there wasn't another dragon in the cave. His intel and his buyer had said there was only one dragon, but intel and buyers had been wrong before.

No other dragons challenged him. Instead, the curve ended in a large cavern, dominated in the middle by a shallow pit full of sand and softly glowing rocks. On the sand lay two dragon eggs, both just smaller than Lian's size, mottled gold and green in color. A depression nearby looked dragon sized, clearly where the mother watched over her eggs, waiting for them to hatch. Roy cursed under his breath. The eggs were larger than he'd been led to believe.

Unable to immediately take an egg, Roy scouted around the perimeter, looking for not only a back exit he might have missed from the outside, but also anything that might help him move the egg. What he found was a small hallway that led to another room, smaller than the main cave, but one clearly made for human habitation. Roy blinked at seeing the camping cot and lantern, camping stove, and airtight boxes of supplies carefully arranged in the room. A table and chair sat against one wall, and there were books and frames on a small table next to the bed.

Though he knew he should get the egg and get out of there, Roy crept forward to look at the photographs. What kind of human would live here with a dragon? His client had impressed on him how protective dragons were, and the scorch marks on the walls had reinforced that. So how did this human survive?

He didn't drop his bow, but it was a near thing when he recognized the men in one of the photographs. Bruce Wayne and Tim Drake, taken at some charity event, judging by the tuxedos. Bruce had been caught in a non-Brucie moment, and Tim was smiling at something the older man said.

Was this where Bruce Wayne had disappeared to? No, Tim had seemed convinced Bruce was lost in time. Besides, why would Bruce have a picture of Dick and what looked like a very young Tim Drake, taken while Dick was still in the circus? Or a picture of Tim's first team, Young Justice, taken while they were out of costume?

"Hello, Roy."

Roy spun, arrow aimed at the person behind him. Tim Drake stood in the passageway and gave him a slightly menacing smile, his hands at his sides, but Roy knew that was deceptive. He'd been Robin. Even with his hands at his sides, he had probably twenty ways to take Roy out. "Tim."

"Why are you here?"

"Why are _you_ here?" Roy countered lamely.

Tim chuckled, taking a step back, so he was out of the passage way and in the main cavern. Roy's eyes widened and his jaw dropped as Tim's body shuddered and seemed to flow, clothing shredding as he grew bigger, wings suddenly pushing out of his back as his torso lengthened and filled out. His legs grew into large hindquarters, a tail snaking out behind him. Tim's arms compressed into forelegs, and his head went from round to a much larger triangular shape, with all black eyes and very sharp teeth. Black scales glimmered in the lamplight. Roy took a step back, sitting heavily on the cot as it caught the back of his knees. "Holy shit."

Tim gave him what Roy hoped was a draconic chuckle and stretched his neck, turning it so he could look at the eggs behind him. He turned around fully after a moment, walking over to the eggs. Leaning in, Tim exhaled a small jet of fire on some of the rocks, causing them to glow brighter. He nosed one of them closer to the eggs after he'd used his forked tongue to press against the shells. Roy wondered what the significance of that was. He moved to the end of the passageway, leaning against the wall. He still held his bow in his hands, arrow loosely nocked, just in case Tim did get as territorial as the client said. He wasn't sure shooting Tim with an arrow would do any good, but having the arrow ready made him feel better.

Instead, once the eggs had been tended to his satisfaction, Tim moved back from them and his dragon form rippled again, contracting back into Tim Drake. A naked Tim Drake.

"So, you're a dragon."

Tim smiled wryly. "Drakonae, actually. Human-Dragon shape shifter." He pronounced it 'dra-kone-ay'.

"And those are your eggs?"

Tim glanced at them, then back at Roy. "Yes. My children."

That made Roy wince. Tim folded his arms across his chest, still not making a move to dress himself. "Why are you here, Roy?"

Roy swallowed, un-nocking the arrow from his bow. "You're not going to like it."

"You were here to steal one or both of my children," Tim growled.

"Yes."

"Why?"

Roy leaned against the wall, looking up at the ceiling. "Because of Lian. Because I needed the money, and this job would have paid enough to cover the medical bills to date and for the next three months, at least."

"Was the specialist unable to help her?" Tim asked, frowning.

"No, he helped, god did he help, and I can't tell you how much I appreciate that, and you covering his fees, but she's still in physical therapy and seeing a psychologist and there's follow up visits to other doctors and follow up surgeries that need to be paid for. And I won't ask Ollie or Dinah for help, not after how they've reacted. And Dick," he snorted, "he's still a dick." Roy ran a hand through his hair. "They're trying to take Lian."

"What?"

"Dick and Dinah, and Babs is probably trying to help them. They claim I'm unfit, that I'm back on drugs, I'm taking Lian's medication...god, Tim, I made it clear to her caretakers that they keep that stuff locked up at all times unless Lian needs it, and I don't even want to know where they keep it. The drugs Mid-Nite gave me I dropped off at the nearest police station that had a prescription recycling bin. But because I'm doing all this," he waved a hand at the cave, "taking any job I can to pay the bills, leaving Lian with live in nurses, they think I'm using again. Even Ollie thinks I'm using." Roy leaned his head back against the wall. “I keep trying to figure out _why_ Dick and Dinah, the two people I trusted most, are acting like this. And I can't think of _anything_.”

Tim growled. "You're not using. I would have smelled that on you in dragon form."

"Well, at least someone believes me," Roy said with a laugh that held no humor. "But no one else does. Hell, my lawyer won't even return my calls now."

"Let me make a few calls, get you a better lawyer then. And I'll cover Lian's bills so that's off your plate. Though you'll have to tell your buyer the eggs are off the market."

"Tim, you don't need to do that."

Tim gave Roy another wry smile. "It's the least I can do for my children's half sister."

Roy blinked at Tim. Then blinked again. He looked at the eggs, then back at Tim. "Their half sister?"

Tim nodded. "I was trying to figure out how to tell you, once they hatched...but yes. Roy Harper, your drakonae children. Children," he said, turning to the eggs and giving them a paternal smile, "meet your father, Roy."

One of the eggs rocked a little, and Roy pasted on a smile over his confusion. "Hi, kids."

Tim chuckled, kneeling beside the nest to check on a piece of equipment Roy hadn't noticed before. "They'll warm up to you. Or at least won't try to eat you once they're hatched."

Roy glance at Tim in alarm, earning a chuckle. "Come on," Tim said. "We need to talk."

"Yeah, I'd say we do," Roy replied, still staring at the eggs. His kids. Dragon kids. His and Tim's. He put the arrow away and glanced at Tim.

Tim gave Roy a shy smile. "I'm glad you're here, though. Four months is a long time with no human contact." He started for the passage way, and Roy couldn't help pulling Tim into a hug. Tim rested his head on Roy's chest, arms around his waist. 

"Four months?" He'd last seen Tim six months ago, when they'd parted in Berlin.

Tim smiled into Roy's chest. "Four months. It's... a long story."

"So start at the beginning," Roy said, pulling Tim over toward the bed. "I think we've got some time." He sat on the bed, keeping Tim in his arms. Tim wriggled and moved them until Roy was sitting on the bed, back to the cave wall, Tim's head resting on Roy's chest. Roy kept his arms around Tim, one hand idly stroking Tim's back. Having Tim back in his arms felt so good. Roy didn't want to let go, ever. Maybe if Lian and the dragon-kids were climbing into the bed he might let Tim go. He wasn't sure he wanted to let Tim go to put on pants, though Tim didn't seem inclined to get dressed anyway.

"If I go back to the beginning beginning, then we start in Ancient Greece," Tim said, and Roy made himself pay attention again. He had a suspicion this wouldn't be an easy story for Tim to tell, and he deserved Roy's attention.

* * *

"We call ourselves the Drakonae," Tim began, head resting against Roy's chest. He could hear Roy's heartbeat in his ear, and it was strange how comforting, how right it was. "Legends say that the first Drakonae were the children of Python, a drakaina at Delphi. One of her children fell in love with a human, and begged the gods to turn her human to be with her lover. The gods, being Greek gods and having an interesting sense of humor, turned her human but decreed that she would have to revert to drakaina form to bear her children. Thus my people, the drakonae, were created."

"But you said these children are mine and yours, and I'm pretty damn sure you aren't female, Tim." Roy leaned down to nuzzle at Tim's hair. "I would have definitely noticed that."

Tim chuckled, nuzzling at Roy's chest. "No, I'm male, all male. But the gods, or evolution, decided that both male and female drakonae could bear children. Not all males choose to, it's more rare for them than for females. But... it's a good thing. Otherwise I might not be here."

Roy shifted, arm hand running up and down Tim's arm. "What do you mean?"

"The drakonae are dying off. Only one drakaina has been born in the last fifty years that I've heard of, and as we become more integrated with human society, fewer males are bearing children."

"But you chose to."

Tim sighed. "I hadn't planned on it, at least not yet. I always figured I would be older when I finally decided to have them. But when you kissed me... I knew it was right, that I wanted you as the father of my child. Well, children."

"It did feel right, didn't it? You just looked so happy at finding what you needed... I couldn't help it."

Tim chuckled. "Dad said that about my other father. They'd made a big find on one of mom and dad's archaeological trips, and my other father said Dad looked so excited that he kissed him spontaneously. Dad said it felt right for them to sleep together, and I was conceived."

"Your mother wasn't the dragon?" Roy seemed startled.

Tim shook his head, shifting to look up at Roy, smiling. "No. My mother was fully human. She couldn't have children, though, so when my father sat down and told her what he was, and that he was expecting, she agreed to act as if she were pregnant, and that I was her biological son. I know she loved me as much as she would have loved a natural child, and I loved her."

"You don't talk about her much."

"It's hard to. Even worse than my dad in some ways." Tim bit his lip, and Roy leaned down to kiss the top of Tim's head.

"You don't have to," Roy said softly.

Tim rested his head against Roy's chest again, staying silent for many moments. He missed both of his parents so much right now. His mother, for the guidance she could have given to him, and to Roy, about this time of a drakonae's life, about dealing with young drakonae. His father, for the advice he could have given to Tim about expecting and laying the eggs, and about hatching and, well, everything. Jack Drake had given Tim as much information as he could, but, as he'd often told Tim, some things weren't easy to discuss in the abstract. Tim would understand more when he had his own children.

And Tim did, but that didn't mean he didn't want his father's guidance.

"I was born here," Tim said softly.

"Hmm?" Roy asked, just as quietly.

"In this cave. I was born here. My father was born here, his father, and so on. Back to the founding of the United States, apparently. Maybe before, no one is really sure of that."

"I wondered why this place looked so perfect for dragons, and with the human room."

"That's why. Our grandchildren will likely be born here. Well, probably not Lian's children."

"I think I'm not ready to think about Lian's children. Or even our children's children."

"Good point," Tim said with a chuckle.

"So, four months with no human contact?"

Tim closed his eyes, listening to Roy's heartbeat again. He'd done this during their one night together, taking comfort in the steady sound beneath his ear. "Yeah."

"What happened?"

"After you left, I went to Iraq. Found a cave where Bruce, back in the past, had drawn a bat symbol on the wall. Got pictures, got out before Ra's al Ghul's minions found me. Took everything I had to Superman and Wonder Woman. They believed me, and we all took it to Batman." Tim snorted. "He believed them. Dismissed his own brother as crazy, but when Clark and Diana bring it to him, well, it _has_ to be true."

Roy kissed the top of Tim's head again. "So what then?"

"We found some more clues to how to get Bruce home in the manor. Once we found those, though, Superman took Green Lantern, Rip Hunter, and Booster Gold with him to go find Bruce in the time stream. Dick stayed in Gotham." Tim nuzzled against Roy's chest. "I got a 'the bunker has room for three' half-assed non-apology from Dick, and turned him down. By then, I was cutting it close."

"What do you mean?"

"That was four months ago. I wasn't going to be able to maintain my human form much longer, especially with both eggs growing. I would start showing, and it would have been bad for my health and theirs if I didn't give them room to grow. So I turned Dick down and came out here so I could stay in drakonae form until the eggs were ready to be laid. I wasn't risking their health just to appease Dick's guilty conscience over almost letting Bruce die in the time stream."

"And over not believing his little brother?"

Tim snorted. "I'm not holding my breath on that apology, Roy. When I first showed up with Superman and Wonder Woman, Dick told them that I was clearly still grieving and mentioned this doctor he wanted me to see in Metropolis to help me deal with my grief. He backpedaled a bit once he was shown the proof, but still, he used to at least listen to me before poking holes in my theories. And let's not even get started on the assassin-Robin and his reactions. So no, I'm not expecting an apology. Dick will fawn all over Bruce when he returns, but I won't get anything."

"Sometimes I think that when he put on that cowl, he took on the worst traits of Bruce without any of the mitigating factors," Roy said with a sigh. "He always swore he wouldn't become Bruce. And then he did."

"Yeah." Tim sighed. "I doubt I'm going back to the hero business. I can't keep losing... everything."

"Don't blame you." Roy shifted, arms tightening around Tim briefly. "How long until our kids hatch?"

Something inside Tim relaxed abruptly at hearing Roy refer to the eggs as their kids. He hadn't realized how tense he'd been, waiting to see if Roy would accept them, accept what Tim had done without Roy's knowledge.

"I don't know," Tim finally admitted. "My dad always said it was something he couldn't tell me, it really needed to be hands on because every egg is different." Tim bit his lip. "I really wish he were here," he whispered into Roy's shirt.

"I know," Roy said, rubbing Tim's back. "I know."

A comfortable silence descended on the cave, and Tim felt himself slipping into sleep. He jerked abruptly as he realized what he was doing. "Sorry."

"For what?" Roy asked. 

"Falling asleep on you." Tim moved to push himself upright, but Roy's arms tightened around him. "It's been hard to sleep these past few months, at least in human form. Dragon form is more alert."

"Why don't you take a nap and I'll keep watch?"

Tim hesitated. It sounded like a great idea, but a part of him worried about Roy. He'd come to steal Tim's children. Would he still try to take the eggs, his own children, when Tim was asleep?

"I promise, Tim, I won't go anywhere. Not with you napping on me." Roy nuzzled at Tim's hair. "And now that I know those are my children in there, I'm not letting anyone harm them. Including me."

Looking up into Roy's face, Tim saw the determination in the man's green eyes, alongside an amused affection... for Tim? He couldn't tell, but it made him feel safe enough that he gave Roy a smile. "All right," he said, laying his head against Roy's chest again, that comforting heartbeat directly under his ear. "Wake me if you need me."

"Will do," he heard Roy say as sleep claimed him.

* * *

Four months.

Bruce rested his elbows on the computer console in the Batcave and rested his chin in the crook of thumb and forefinger. He tapped his forefingers against one another as he considered the problem of his youngest adopted son. Or rather the lack of his youngest adopted son. Tim hadn't been seen since two days after Superman and the others had left on their quest to retrieve Bruce from the time stream. The last bit of security footage showed Tim leaving the manor on his Ducati and making the turn for the main roads into Gotham. Even Barbara hadn't been able to find Tim after that. He hadn't been using his known accounts, and no secret accounts under any of his known aliases. Facial recognition hadn't picked up Tim on any cameras anywhere in the world that Barbara could find.

He'd called in to Lucius Fox to discuss Wayne Enterprises businesses three times, each from a disposable burner phone, in three different locations, and the phones had been turned off and never found after that. Bruce suspected they had been meticulously disassembled and disposed of in multiple places. Tim knew how to disappear and had definitely used that knowledge. 

The question was why. Why had Tim felt the need to disappear so completely? He'd done what he'd apparently set out to do. He'd found proof that Bruce hadn't died, had given the Justice League what they needed to find Bruce, and bring him home. But Tim hadn't stayed to see his project through, very unlike him.

"Still puzzling over Master Timothy?"

Bruce didn't turn as Alfred came down the stairs, carrying a tray of sandwiches and drinks for when Dick and Damian returned from patrol.

"Master Timothy has disappeared before without checking in. And he has been in touch with Master Fox." Alfred's tone belied the calm nature of his statement. Bruce knew the older man was worried about Tim as much as Bruce was.

"Yes, but only with Lucius, and not often. Other than that, he's completely off the radar. And that worries me. There was no known reason for Tim to leave."

Alfred sighed. "Not known to us, but Master Timothy has been known to keep his own counsel, and given how Master Dick reacted to Master Timothy's insistence that you were still alive, he may have felt that telling his reasons was counter productive."

Bruce nodded. Dick had mentioned being glad he'd been wrong about thinking Tim's grief had made him imagine things. Alfred had filled in the rest-that neither of them had believed Tim's insistence that Bruce was alive, that apparently none of Tim's friends had. Except Superboy, who'd made some rather pointed remarks about Tim not being crazy when Bruce had asked the young Kryptonians if he'd seen Tim. Superboy had shown Bruce the postcard from Andorra, Tim's handwriting telling his friend he was taking off to deal with something, and promising he would yell if he needed help. He hadn't yelled, Superboy said, arms crossed over his chest and glaring at Bruce. Bruce suspected that if Tim had asked Superboy not to tell his family he'd asked for help, he wouldn't. He hadn't pressed, but he was keeping an eye on both Titans Tower and the Kent farm in case Tim turned up in either location.

The roar of the Batmobile's engine had them both turning. As soon as the car came to a stop, Damian jumped out, stalking toward the showers. Dick got out, grinning. As he came over to grab a sandwich, he pushed the cowl back.

"Alfred, can you make sure my suit is ready? I'm meeting with Dinah and our lawyer on the custody case this afternoon."

"Of course, sir." Alfred nodded and headed for the stairs. Bruce got up from the computer and watched Dick sit down to start his report on patrol. 

Dick's insistence that Roy Harper had relapsed and was leaving his young daughter alone puzzled Bruce. Dick had shown him the evidence, but Bruce wasn't convinced. The actions that Dick pointed to as evidence of relapse read differently to Bruce. The mercenary jobs he took on, leaving Lian alone, were to pay her medical bills, which were extensive. But Roy wasn't actually leaving Lian alone-she had twenty four hour health care in the house, nurses with excellent references and backgrounds. Bruce had checked them out with his own resources. He didn't know if Dick had, and that troubled him. Roy and Dick had been best friends, Robin and Speedy, Nightwing and Arsenal. Dick should be offering to help, not trying to take Lian away. 

"Damn it," Dick swore.

"Problem?" 

Dick ran his hand through his hair. "We still can't find how Roy paid for Lian's specialist, or even how he got the appointment. Which means it can't have been through any legal channels. So who knows what favors Roy now owes for that?"

It was a valid question, and one easily answered, except the people who knew weren't going to tell Dick. Bruce didn't think he was supposed to know, but Bruce had been checking the books of Wayne Enterprises and the Wayne Foundation carefully after learning of Tommy Elliott's, and Ra's al Ghul's, attempts on the company. He'd noticed the payments to the doctor, and questioned Lucius. He'd admitted that Tim had made the request to help Roy, telling Lucius Roy was a friend of his. That had surprised Bruce. He hadn't thought Tim and Roy were that close, but if Roy hadn't been able to count on Dick, he might have gone to Tim, desperate for the help. And Tim gave it.

"Dick," Bruce said carefully now, "you do realize that while you and Dinah may succeed in gaining custody of Lian, it is very likely that neither Roy nor Lian will forgive you. I know I would never forgive anyone who took any of you away from me in this manner. Even if I deserved to have you taken away."

"I doubt Roy will notice. He thinks we'll just listen to him that he's not doing drugs, not using any drugs prescribed to Lian. He won't take a test, won't _listen_ to us, Bruce." Dick got up and began to pace. "I can't just let something happen to Lian because Roy can't cope. If I could make him get help, I would."

Bruce nodded, but inwardly he shook his head. Dick was walking a path even Bruce wasn't sure he would walk, not without all the information.

He needed to find Tim, not just for his own peace of mind, but also to get the full picture on Roy Harper, so he could decide which man he should support, Roy or Dick.

* * *

One of the eggs was rocking wildly.

Roy watched it, tensing as it got close to the edge of the sand. It had started subtle movements about an hour before, but this was getting frantic. He didn't know what would happen if it moved off the sand onto to cavern floor, but he wasn't sure he wanted to find out. "Tim," he said softly, stroking the younger man's back. "Tim, wake up." He hated to pull Tim from a nap he'd desperately needed, given that Tim had been sound asleep for the past five hours, but he had to.

Tim stirred, cheek rubbing against Roy's chest. He stretched, and Roy bit back a groan at the feel of Tim's body moving over his. "Mmm, Roy," Tim murmured, turning his head up, eyes still closed, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

He couldn't help but smile at sleepy Tim. It was a sight he'd enjoyed in Berlin, and enjoyed here. He'd like to enjoy it more, roll Tim onto his back and fasten his mouth to that spot on Tim's neck that made Tim shiver and moan so sweetly. But then the second egg moved sharply, knocking against its sibling, and Roy reined in his libido to scratch at Tim's back. "The eggs are rocking."

Tim opened his eyes, blinking at Roy, before turning his head and blinking at the eggs. The far egg shook sharply, and a fine black crack appeared on it. Tim went still for a long moment. Then he scrambled off Roy and out of the sleeping cavern into the main one, kneeling by the eggs, one hand hovering over them. There was another rock from them, and Tim stood, standing back. "I need to get food, they're hatching. Can you stay?"

Roy followed Tim out to the cavern. "Sure, but, what if they hatch while you're gone? I mean, they aren't going to eat me, right?"

Shaking his head, Tim moved to the front of the cave. "They shouldn't, but I would keep your hands away from their mouths." He began changing into drakonae form, and Roy watched him lumber out of the cave, amused that someone so graceful in human form was so ungainly in drakonae.

The crack of one egg against the other brought Roy's attention back to them. He knelt by the sand filled depression, noticing the screen of the equipment Tim had checked earlier. It was some form of seismograph, and the lines spiked with the rocking of the eggs. He wondered about it until another, larger, crack appeared in the far egg, and then all Roy's attention focused on the two fragile shells that protect his children from the outside world. 

The far egg rocked twice more, the crack extending, and then suddenly it split. The shell halves were shoved in separate directions by the extended wings of the young drakonae. It was about the size of Lian when she was five, and its scales glimmered and shifted through the color spectrum in the artificial light of the cave. The drakonae looked around, black eyes fastening on Roy, and it opened its mouth to roar.

And the most adorable noise ever came out of its mouth. Halfway between a growl and a mewl, echoing faintly in the cavern, and just so adorable that Roy couldn't help but chuckle at it. The drakonae looked at him, and Roy would have sworn it looked disgruntled by his reaction. "Hey there, kiddo, you'll grow into your roar. I bet your dad's is pretty impressive." He reached out, carefully keeping his hands away from the elongated muzzle, and picked a few stray pieces of shell off the drakonae's wings. The drakonae watched him with sharp eyes, stretching it's neck and biting the air just next to Roy's forearm. "Dad's gone to get you some food, kiddo. He'll be back soon."

The drakonae jumped and flapped its wings in what Roy privately thought of as a flailing motion when the other egg knocked into its sibling. Hairline cracks had appeared in that shell when Roy wasn't looking. Now he saw one of the cracks widen further, and the hatched drakonae peered down at it, head tilting and jaws opening as it leaned in.

"Hey, now, none of that. No eating your sibling. That's rude. I... have no idea how I could punish you for it," he said, "but I will. Or I'll tell your Dad."

As he suspected, the threat didn't go far, but a piece of the shell hitting its nose did stop the attempt at eating the egg. This egg didn't hatch as gracefully, large chunks of shell breaking away as the drakonae inside fought its way out, but finally the second drakonae hatchling stood next to its sibling, letting out its own growl-mewl. The first hatchling answered, and Roy kept snickering at them, even as he picked shell pieces off the second hatchling. The first gently closed its jaw on Roy's forearm, black eyes focused on him, scales shifting to a dark blue coloring. The second hatchling followed suit on Roy's other arm, leaving him with both of his drakonae children eying him like he was dinner. "Sorry, kids, that's patricide if you eat me. Generally frowned upon, you know." He kept his tone light, though internally he was a little worried they would decide he made a good meal before Tim got back.

The second hatchling made a mewling noise around Roy's forearm. "I know you're hungry, kiddo. Your Dad should be back any moment now. With food."

A roar echoed through the cavern, and both drakonae turned their heads. Roy was jerked forward as neither drakonae had let go of him. He resisted the urge to tug his arms away, for fear it might cause them to bite down harder, and the right arm was already sending waves of pain through his body as it protested the treatment. 

Tim's black scaled drakonae form appeared in the mouth of the cavern, carrying the carcass of a large buck in his forearm claws. He let the buck drop to the floor, and both hatchlings let go of Roy in favor of an ungainly scramble to the food source. Tim leaned down and nuzzled at the two hatchlings, earning more growl-mewls before the three of them set upon the buck. Tim tore out chunks and set them on the ground near the hatchlings, eating the occasional choice morsel. The hatchlings had less restraint, ripping bites from the animal and the chunks on the ground, swallowing without seeming to chew the meat. Sometimes, Tim would lean in and lick blood off the hatchling's muzzle, or offer a piece of meat he'd pulled from the carcass to them, getting wing flaps in return as they stretched to grab the bite. The whole scene was a messy and bloody frenzy. 

And it was perfect to Roy, to watch his drakonae children bond with their drakonae father over a fresh kill. 

He wished Lian had been here for this, to see her siblings being born. Maybe not to watch them tearing apart a buck, but still. 

He wanted his whole family together right now.

Finally, the hatchlings slowed down, their bellies apparently getting full. Tim leaned in to finish licking the blood from their scales, which were slowly turning green, then gently nudged them toward the sand again. They stumbled over their feet, finally collapsing in a drakonae pile on the sand. One of them, the one closest to Roy, gave a yawn, then its tongue flickered out to lick Roy's arm lightly before its eyes closed and it sighed into sleep. 

Roy reached out to gently stroke the tops of each hatchling's head, feeling the same total love and devotion to these children as he felt toward Lian. He'd kill to protect all of his children, sacrifice anything for them. 

Another tongue licked at his arm, and Roy looked up into Tim's drakonae-black eyes. He'd moved closer to Roy and the sand, to their children. He lowered his head to nuzzle at Roy's hair, and Roy reached up to put a hand on Tim's muzzle. "We have beautiful children, Tim."

Tim huffed, his breath ruffling Roy's hair. Roy smiled. "We do, and you can't convince me otherwise."

The drakonae took a step back to lay down on the cave floor, tail curled around the sand where the hatchlings slept and head resting next to Roy's legs. Roy hooked an arm over the top of Tim's head, fingers lightly stroking the scales, earning a rumble that was almost a purr. 

The two sat there for a long time, watching their children sleep.

* * *

"I want that egg, Mr. Morris. I don't particularly care how you acquire it. If the mother doesn't survive, all the better. She won't come after us."

"Sir, we can only go in when the dragon leaves. She's only left twice since we started watching, and that rival mercenary that went in the first time never left."

"You'd better hope he didn't have a secret exit from the cave, Mr. Morris. I'm paying you well to acquire the egg and I don't like failure. I don't know who hired your competition, yet, but if he has taken the egg, you won't be paid at all. If you need more men to storm the cave and get the egg, then hire them. But I'm not paying extra. In fact, every day that I don't have the egg, I'm less inclined to pay the rest of your fee. Or leave loose ends."

"We'll do it, sir."

"Good. Call me when you have the egg. And not before."

* * *

The flash of a camera woke Roy, and he opened his eyes as he tried to move into a defensive position, but weights held down his chest and legs. Warm weights that moved and... purred?

He opened his eyes to find Tim standing next to him, a smile on his face as he held a camera. "Sorry," he said unrepentantly. "You just looked so cute."

Roy raised his head to see that the weights on him were actually the hatchlings. Sometime after Roy had fallen asleep on the cave floor, he'd migrated onto the sands. He suspected Tim, in drakonae form, must have moved him. He didn't know if Tim had moved the hatchlings, or they'd decided on their own that their human father made a great pillow, but Roy had to admit it was rather cute. The hatchling on his chest kept making a little purring sound as it slept, body resting on Roy while its head and tail were draped on either side of him. The second hatchling was just as comfortable on Roy's legs, only it was on its left side, the right fore and hind leg in the air. Both their scales were a golden color that almost blended with the sand.

"I can move them if they're too heavy," Tim offered.

Roy shook his head, stroking the neck of the hatchling on his chest. "They're fine for right now. I'd hate for you to ruin another set of clothing, anyway." Tim had gotten dressed while Roy was asleep, wearing a pair of sweatpants and a Gotham City High t-shirt. Roy mourned the loss of naked Tim, and pondered how quickly he could get Tim naked again.

Chuckling, Tim took another picture of the hatchlings. "I can always take them off first. I usually do. But if I want to impress someone with my changing, letting the clothing shred helps. Theatricality, and all that. Also less nerve wracking than undressing in front of strangers so I can change."

"I wasn't exactly a stranger," Roy pointed out.

"But you weren't exactly a friend at that point, at least not that I knew."

Roy nodded, conceding the point. "It was a damn impressive sight. Then again, so is the sight of you naked."

That earned him a blush that Roy had to chuckle at. The hatchling on his chest made a noise, shifting until it, too, was on its side, left side, right limbs in the air. At least the wings were flat. Roy shook his head at the kids as Tim took a third picture.

"Not as impressive as you," he said softly, fiddling with his camera. "But since I needed to start packing, I decided clothing was needed."

"Packing? You're not staying here?"

Shaking his head, Tim walked to the passage between the main cavern and his human sleeping cavern. A black backpack sat next to the opening, and he tucked the camera into it. "No. The hatchlings will only be drakonae for a few more days, then they'll shift into human form, and the cave isn't a good place for them after that." Tim ducked in to the sleeping cavern. "So I need to pack up the supplies that stay here and put them away in the storage part of the cavern, and then pack up the stuff that I can't leave here. Which is my personal stuff and the food, so at least it's not a lot."

Roy nodded, though he knew Tim couldn't see it. He reached out with his left hand and stroked the hatchling's tail. He swore it sighed happily in its sleep, mouth curling up in a draconic grin. Tim came out of the sleeping cavern with a black carrying case which sported a handle that looked big enough for Tim's hind claws to grasp. He set it next to the backpack. "I'd planned on spending my time in drakonae form when the hatchlings were awake, so I wouldn't be eating human food. But I hadn't, you know, planned on having another human around." A sheepish smile crossed Tim's face as he looked at Roy. "I can leave some out for you. I don't think you want raw venison."

"If you breathe fire on it, I'll be able to eat it. I've hunted, killed, and cooked my own food before." Roy kept stroking the hatchling's tail.

"That works. You have any objection to sleeping on the floor? I'm going to pack up the furniture next."

"Will I get to curl up next to your drakonae form again?" Roy asked with a eyebrow waggle. Tim blushed again, shaking his head at Roy as he went back into the cavern. "Hey, you're comfy," Roy called after him.

"I could squish you," Tim called back.

"Willing to take that chance," Roy replied. The hatchling on his chest opened its eyes, yawned, and used its hind legs to slide itself off Roy onto the sand. It licked at Roy's face before curling up again, back against Roy's arm.

"Same to you, kiddo," Roy said affectionately. 

Tim returned with an even larger case, and stripped off his shirt and pants to shift into his dragon form. The hatchlings didn't react, but Roy watched avidly, appreciating the view of Tim naked before mentally cataloging each segment of the change as much as he could. This change was fast, like the change before the hatching had been. It took just a few seconds to go from Tim-as-human to Tim-as-drakone, who stretched out his wings with a soft rumble of pleasure. Tim grabbed the larger case with his hind claws and jumped up. Roy raised an arm against the sand tossed up by the downdraft. That woke up the hatchlings, who scrambled to their feet, heads raised to watch Tim. Roy took the opportunity to sit up as the hatchlings started flapping their wings, trying to reach their parent. Neither took off, but it was damn cute, especially when their scales turned a warm copper color.

The hatchlings mewled as Tim disappeared into the shadows of the cavern ceiling. Roy reached out and rubbed their heads, causing them to push into his hands, making that rumbling purring noise. He took the opportunity to look around the cavern. Tim had been busy while Roy and the hatchlings napped. The seismograph had been disabled and presumably packed away. The shells of the hatchlings were gone, as were the remains of the buck.

Tim descended, the case no longer in his claws. The storage area must be up in the higher reaches of the cave, Roy decided, perfect for drakonae access but hidden from casual human observers. The hatchlings scrambled to the edge of the sands, making noises as Tim landed. Tim leaned his head down and nuzzled at them, and Roy swore Tim was laughing as one of them tried to climb Tim's leg.

Tim's head abruptly swung up and around, making a low growling noise that had both hatchlings going silent. Roy got to his feet, quietly making his way toward Tim. Tim kept growling, inching forward to the entrance of the cave. Roy reached for his bow and quiver, resting against the backpack. He nocked an arrow, aiming it at the cave. The hatchlings, he noted out of the corner of his eye, had retreated behind Tim, their scales now the same black as Tim's. 

"Luthor wants that egg in one piece," a voice hissed. It echoed oddly, the acoustics of the cave meaning Roy couldn't tell how close the speaker was. "If we can take that dragon alive, too, then we will. Someone will pay money for a dragon, even if Luthor won't."

Luthor. Roy made a low sound that was close to a growl. Luthor was not getting his hands on the kids, or Tim. Even if he'd been Roy's mysterious employer, there was no way Roy would have turned an egg over to him once he'd found out Luthor wanted it. "There any other exits?" he asked Tim in a low voice. Tim shook his head side to side, body tense. Roy calculated their options. At least two men, probably more, in the only exit. The hatchlings were vulnerable. And while Roy was sure that Tim would kill to protect them, the way Roy would, he didn't think Tim had killed before. He wanted to spare Tim that. "Everything packed?"

Turning his head, Tim gave him a look that Roy couldn't quite interpret. Roy nodded toward the entrance. "If it is, and we're ready to go, I can get us out of here," he said quietly. "I still have access to the JLA's transporter." He kept his voice low, trying to make sure the mercenaries didn't hear him. They didn't need people knowing how they'd escaped.

Making a noise of acknowledgment, Tim nodded, sidling over to grab the black case with one hind leg. The hatchlings looked confused, and Roy hurriedly put his arrow and bow in his quiver, activating the beacon on the bottom of it, before he grabbed Tim's clothes and shouldered the backpack. He moved back to put a hand on each of the hatchlings' backs, his shoulder against Tim. “Give us some cover,” he said.

Tim roared a challenge and blasted a jet of flame at the cavern opening. Roy heard the mercenaries scream, some in pain, but most in surprise and little fear. When the flame had dissipated, Roy said into the air: "Emergency Override: M-Z-9-22-Omega." The cavern disappeared in a flash of bright light.

* * *

Alarms squealed on the Watchtower as the emergency code was activated. "Red Arrow is incoming," Supergirl said, frowning. "Along with three other life forms, one very large."

Diana hurried to the teleport area. Clark, Bruce, Kara, Vic, and Donna followed her, the six of them forming a circle around the pad. The transporter shimmered, and Diana braced herself for whatever Red Arrow was bringing with him. "Human life forms?" Bruce asked before anything appeared.

"Not according to the scanners," Kara said, hovering a foot off the ground. Clark hovered as well, shifting into defensive posture when the four figures began to appear, one of them towering over the others and growling.

Diana knew her jaw had probably dropped, but so had everyone else's. A large black dragon stood on the pad, regarding them fiercely. Roy was on the side of the dragon closest to Diana, his hands resting on the back of two young dragons.

On Clark's other side, Donna's jaw had dropped as well, and then she smiled. "Drakonae. Oh, it has been an _age_ since I've seen one in full dragon form."

At Donna's exclamation, Red Arrow relaxed slightly. The drakonae looked at her, having gone silent, but when Donna headed for Red Arrow and the young drakonae, the adult started to growl at her. Donna hesitated. Both Clark and Kara's eyes began to glow, and Bruce had one of his devices in his hands, aimed at the drakonae.

Diana walked forward, her hand outstretched. "We mean you no harm," she said softly, projecting empathically to the drakonae. "We are your friends."

The drakonae hesitated. It sent back feelings of worry and parental protection, mixed with a deeper concern that seemed to be aimed at Red Arrow, and a strange joy that was aimed at . . . Bruce?

Diana turned to look at him, and the drakonae lowered its head, stretching its neck toward Bruce. The man went still as the drakonae gently pressed the tip of its muzzle to the bat symbol on Bruce's chest. Joy flooded from him, and Diana felt tears forming in her eyes from the emotion. The joy felt like that of a child seeing a long lost parent, and she gasped as she realized who the drakonae could be.

"Batman, give me your cape," she said, moving toward them.

Bruce glared at her, then back at the drakonae, which had flickered out its tongue to Bruce's chest. Clark, on Bruce's other side, undid his cape. Diana gestured to the drakonae. "Hold it so he can change," she said with a smile. Bruce still glared at her. Red Arrow was stroking the drakonae hatchlings, who were giving off fear and hunger, their scales the same black as their parent. Diana smiled at the sight.

Clark held up the cloak, and the drakonae gave one last lick to Bruce's face beneath the cowl before pulling its head back and changing, shrinking back into a young man with black hair.

"Tim!" Kara and Vic exclaimed, surprised. Tim gave them a shy smile as he took the cape from Clark's hands and wrapped it around his waist. He only had eyes for Bruce, though, and Diana realized that he may not have known that Bruce had returned.

Bruce pushed his cowl back as he stared at Tim. Tim squared his shoulders, standing his ground as Bruce slowly stalked forward. Clark moved aside, looking between the two of them nervously, and Diana recalled belatedly that Bruce had a fairly strict 'no metahumans' policy in Gotham. To find out one of his Robins was metahuman...

Bruce stopped several feet away from his son. "Tim."

"Bruce." Tim's tone was as dry as Bruce's. 

The tension on the Watchtower could be cut with a knife. Bruce's hand moved a few times, tiny movements that never made it past the lines of his thigh. Diana glanced at Tim, and could see him retreat into himself, the joyful look in his eyes fading to something cold and hurt. He nodded at Bruce and turned on his heel, moving back to where Red Arrow and Donna were corralling the young drakonae. Diana glared at Bruce, amused to see that Clark was doing the same. Bruce's shoulders slumped slightly, his eyes still fixed on Tim's form.

"He was the only one to believe you were alive," Diana said. "None of your other sons believed him, and he proved them wrong. You should at least hear him out," she added. Bruce glanced at her, and she glared at him again before turning to join her sister, who was currently being used as a teething toy for the hatchlings. Donna was laughing at them, as were Tim and Red Arrow. Red Arrow reached out and pulled Tim to him, tucking him under an arm and pressing a kiss to Tim's temple while aiming an unimpressed look at Bruce. 

"Are they your children, Roy?" Donna asked as she stroked the head of the one gnawing on her right ankle. 

"Yes," Roy replied, still holding Tim. "Not that I knew until recently." He looked up at Diana. "Wonder Woman, I apologize for using the emergency teleporter, but we had to leave in a hurry."

"Luthor sent mercenaries to capture the eggs," Tim said, his voice as low a growl as he'd ever used as Robin. "Fortunately, they'd already hatched and the location cleared before they got in, but we had no other way out without killing all of them."

Diana nodded, kneeling down. The hatchling closest to her turned and stretched itself up, licking at her face delicately before gnawing on her arm above the bracelet. Both it and it's sibling had shifted from black into copper, a color Diana knew signified happy, playful drakonae hatchlings.

"You did the right thing. The protection of the hatchlings came first." She glanced at Tim, who still leaned against Roy, Clark's cape around his waist. "How old are they?"

"Less than twenty four hours out of the shell," Tim replied, smiling as Kara and Vic came over. Kara knelt by Donna, and Vic came to stand by Roy. "It'll be a few days before they shift to human."

"They're adorable," Donna said. "I'm sure they'll be little hellions as humans." She looked up at Tim. "This is why you've been missing these past four months, protecting the children."

"With good reason," Roy admitted, turning to press another kiss to Tim's temple, looking sheepish. "There were two attempts to steal the eggs."

To Diana's surprise, Tim turned and nuzzled into Roy's throat. "You didn't know they were yours."

"Roy?" Donna asked, looking up at him, eyes narrowed.

"I took a job to pay Lian's medical bills," Roy said, no apology in his voice. "Lian came first."

"Who hired you?" That was Bruce, who had approached, eyes narrowed. 

"What do you care?" Roy asked hostilely.

"Someone hired a former hero to steal eggs. That sounds like something that needs to be investigated."

Roy gave Bruce yet another unimpressed look, then used the hand that wasn't wrapped around Tim to fumble in his quiver. He tossed a piece of paper at Bruce. "Here. Contact info for the guy when I had the eggs. He wanted them before they hatched, though. Was very insistent on that. So, he shouldn't be a problem now, even if it was Luthor."

"Just because these eggs are no longer suitable for his, or Luthor's purposes, doesn't mean that he won't try again with another dragon."

"Drakonae." Tim's voice practically dripped ice, and Diana glanced at him. He wasn't looking at his mentor and adopted father, instead reaching out to gently tug on the tail of one of the hatchlings who was attempting to gnaw on Vic's leg. The hatchling growled as it turned, but then saw who had its tail and the growl became a mewl as it bounded over to Tim and into his lap, tongue coming out to lick at Tim's face. Tim's expression melted and he nuzzled against the hatchling.

"Hm?" Bruce asked as he examined the paper Roy had tossed at him.

"I am a Drakonae, Bruce. We are not mere dragons of myth, we were granted our shape shifting abilities from the Greek gods themselves."

Donna smothered her grin with her hand as Bruce looked up at Tim, blinking at the frost in his tone. "Drakonae, then," he said. He hesitated, as if he wanted to say something else, then finally just nodded at Tim and turned to leave the room. 

"Not sure who's worse, him or Dick," Roy muttered.

"Roy!" Donna exclaimed in dismay.

"Doesn't matter," Tim said. "Bigger problem right now. The hatchlings are hungry."

Diana looked and saw the hatchlings had gone from their copper color to a dark blue, and the one by Donna was making a more serious attempt to gnaw on her arm. "What do you need to feed them, Tim?"

"Meat. Preferably just killed." At Superman's noise of distress, Tim shrugged. "Fresh raw meat is essential for the growth and maturity of hatchlings prior to their shift into human infant form. I was going to get a fresh kill once they'd woken up, but then Luthor's minions appeared."

"And we had to book it out of there before we were caught. At least Tim had everything else packed up. So all they'll find is the sand from the hatching." Roy pressed another kiss to Tim's temple, and Tim smiled. A content smile that Diana had seen other Drakonae, when they'd found their symbolon-their mate. The one who was not just a parent for the hatchlings, but a true partner for the drakonae. Still, that smile could just be Tim when he was truly happy, something Diana would admit she had rarely seen on the young man.

"Why don't I take Roy and we'll get food for the hatchlings? Diana, you and the others can help Tim get the hatchlings to a better location for them to eat and nap. The Kitchen, maybe?" Donna suggested. Diana nodded. The holographic training room known as the Kitchen could be modified to better resemble a cave, like the hatchlings were used to.

"Sounds good to me," Tim said. He stood, and Roy stood with him. Tim adjusted Clark's cape around his waist and started to chivvy the hatchlings from the teleporter pad. "Let's go, kids. Dad needs to go hunting."

Diana smiled at Tim's words and helped him with the hatchlings. Vic and Clark came behind them, keeping the hatchlings from turning around. Kara hovered, eying Tim. "Tim, should I go to the Tower and get you some clothes?"

Tim smiled up at her. "That would be great, though I won't need them for a bit. Those," he said, jerking his head at the t-shirt and sweatpants next to the backpack they'd teleported in with, "need a washing."

Kara swooped down and picked them up, her nose wrinkling. "Right, clothing and laundry at the Tower."

"Wait a minute, Kara," Clark called before his cousin could disappear. "Tim, if she goes to the tower, the Titans will want to know where you are. Do you want her to tell them? Or should we talk to Alfred?"

Tim shook his head. "No, I'd rather not have anyone else at this point know I'm back. And as much as I _should_ let Alfred know... that has a greater chance of Batman and Robin finding out and I _don't_ want them knowing."

If Diana wasn't mistaken, there was an unspoken 'at all' at the end of that sentence.

"I'll take these to Ma and ask her to wash them, then. Superboy's at the Tower and she'll be discreet." Kara sped off. 

Roy pulled Tim to him in a hug. "Guess it's only fair that I hunt this time, you hunted last. See you in a bit."

"Be careful," Tim said. "I was a bit more intimidating when I was hunting."

Roy laughed as he let go and grabbed his quiver and bow. "I won't disagree with you." He stepped onto the platform with Donna and Clark activated it for them before coming back to the group.

"Shall we get the hatchlings settled?" Diana asked Tim, who was still looking at where Roy had disappeared.

Tim turned to her, a grateful smile on his face. "Lead the way, please, Wonder Woman."

* * *

Dick and Damian were on patrol, and Alfred had gone upstairs already to work on his own projects. He'd be back before the end of patrol with drinks and snacks for Dick and Damian and Bruce. Bruce was alone in the cave, working on the mystery of who had hired Roy Harper. So he was entirely unsurprised when Clark teleported into the cave. Clark would want to make sure their conversation wasn't overheard.

"Clark." Bruce watched the computer as it scanned through cell towers to find a ping on the phone number Roy Harper had been given. Burner cell phone, but with a Gotham area code. It should be nearby, then. Well, relatively nearby.

"Bruce." Clark paused, in that way that indicated he was listening to something. Something that was apparently not an emergency as he continued speaking. "Since when does Tim not want Dick or Alfred to know he's alive, much less back?"

Bruce didn't look away from the screen. "He obviously didn't want them to know where he was these past four months, either. Or for any of us to know what he was."

"Considering Luthor and potentially some unknown are trying to kidnap his children, I would say he at least had a good reason for that. One he probably feels has been reinforced by your reaction today."

Bruce clenched a hand and released it, as if checking the fit of his gauntlet. "He's a meta. He lied to me. Five years and he lied to me about one basic fact."

"Except you don't know that, Bruce."

He turned. "He wasn't acting like someone who had just been turned into a drakonae, Clark. Judging by his own words, he's known his whole life. And he never told me."

"You never would have taken him on as Robin if you had known, and you needed a Robin. And from I've heard, from Dick and from Conner, Tim needed Robin, needed Batman, just as much then, too." Clark stepped forward. "Just like he needs you now. He refused to give up on you. The rest of us buried you, mourned you, and would have let Darkseid's plan _kill you_! If it hadn't been for Tim, none of us would be here. He deserves to have you at least listen to him, Bruce. I'm not asking you to make him your Robin again, but don't forget he's your _son_."

The computer beeped, drawing Bruce's attention. The burner phone was in Gotham, in an apartment complex near the Sprang River. He frowned, moving to gather the equipment he'd need to pinpoint which apartment.

"I'm coming with you," Clark announced. Bruce turned and glared at him. Clark crossed his arms. "I owe it to Tim and Roy to find out who was trying to steal their children."

Bruce's lips thinned. "Fine. But don't interfere." He headed for the Batmobile. 

Clark flew above him as he sped through Gotham, hovering as Bruce made his way to the top of the apartment building, pinpointing the apartment where the phone resided. A quick check of his databases gave him the name of the inhabitant, Michael Shields. Due to the warm night, the window was open in the bedroom, and Bruce slipped inside the room. The phone lay on the nightstand, but the bed was empty, sheets thrown back as if the occupant had left in a hurry. Bruce silently moved to the doorway, listening. He heard soft singing coming from another room in the apartment, music that sounded like a lullaby. He crept down the hall to the living room, seeing a man sitting in an old rocking chair, holding a toddler in his arms. The toddler appeared to be asleep, but the man had tears tracing down his cheeks as he sang.

"Michael Shields."

To his credit, the man didn't startle when Bruce slipped out of the shadows. He sighed, almost in relief. "Batman. I wondered when you'd show up."

Behind the cowl, Bruce raised his eyebrow.

"Let me put my son back to bed and I'll tell you everything."

Bruce followed the man to his son's room. Clark's voice sounded in his ear through the communicator. "No weapons in the son's room."

He grunted, stepping in front of the man and going first into the room, doing his own check for weapons. It wouldn't do to let the man think Batman trusted him. 

"Remember, Christopher, Daddy loves you," Shields murmured, tucking his son in with a kiss to the forehead. He straightened and walked out of the room and back to the living room. Bruce followed.

"You hired the former Arsenal to steal dragon eggs."

The man sat on the couch, head in his hands. "Yes."

"Why?"

"Because of Christopher. He's dying, and the only thing that might prevent it is an experimental treatment that Wayne Pharmaceuticals is developing. But the insurance won't cover it. So Dr. Gallagher promised to get Christopher into the program if I helped him get the eggs."

"Did he say why he needed them?"

Shields shook his head. "Just that helping him get them would ensure Christopher's spot in the trials. He knew I'd run with Dent's gang years ago, so figured I could find someone to get the eggs. So I called my contacts, they called people, and I got the guy's name. He didn't want details, just how much it paid, how to keep the eggs alive, and where to get them. He was supposed to call me a few days ago, but I guess I know why he hasn't now."

Bruce considered the man on the couch. "What were you supposed to do when Arsenal called?"

"Call Gallagher, he'd make arrangements from there."

"Call him. Tell him Arsenal has the eggs."

Shields looked up. "But I--"

"Do it. And I won't turn you in for conspiracy." Shields was a pawn in this game, a man trying to save his child. Gallagher was the man Bruce wanted to question now.

He followed Shields back to the bedroom where the burner phone was. The other issue was that Bruce didn't want to expose Tim as a shape shifter. This might be better handled in the League, rather than bringing Gotham PD into this. He might not approve of metas in Gotham, or as Robin, but given the attempts to steal the eggs, hiding the human identities of the drakonae was paramount. If Luthor knew Tim was one of the drakonae...

Shields pulled a second burner phone from his nightstand and dialed a number. "It's me. He's got the egg. Yeah, it's alive. Yeah, he can make it in two hours," he said, glancing at Batman, who nodded. "Right. I'll tell him." Shields ended the call. "Gallagher said for Arsenal to meet him at loading door 27 of the WE building in two hours with the egg. He's got Arsenal's payment."

"Good. Don't leave town, Mr. Shields. I may have more questions." Bruce went to the window and leapt out, firing his grapple gun into the next building. He ascended to the roof, unsurprised to find Clark waiting for him.

"What are you going to do?"

"Meet Gallagher at WE and interrogate him."

Clark sighed. "About Shields."

"Get his son into that program. And impress on him the importance of keeping this quiet."

"Getting soft?"

"If I can't condemn Arsenal for his actions, then I can't condemn Shields for the same reason. Their children."

"And your son, Batman?"

"I don't know yet, Superman."

Clark nodded. "Do you want backup at WE?"

"Just don't interfere," Bruce said as he headed back to the Batmobile. He'd get to the building early and set up surveillance, to see what Gallagher did before the meeting.

To see why the man wanted to steal his son's children.

* * *

Roy leaned against a wall of the 'cave' and watched as Tim, back in drakonae form, helped the hatchlings devour the buck that he and Donna had caught and brought back to the Watchtower. Donna leaned against the wall next to him, arms crossed over her chest.

"For something so messy and gory, it's absolutely adorable," Donna said.

"Yeah, it is," Roy said with a smile. Tim licked the blood from one of the hatchling's muzzles and looked up at Roy, a twinkle in his eyes. 

Donna looked between them, then shook her head. "You've got it bad, Roy."

"Huh?" Roy asked, looking back to his ex-girlfriend, who nodded toward Tim.

"You've got it bad for him."

"He's the father of my kids, Donna, and wow that's a phrase I never thought I'd say in this lifetime," he added, blinking.

Donna laughed, drawing the attention of the hatchlings for a moment, before the food and their stomachs distracted them. "I'll give you that, but seriously, Roy, I've seen the way you're looking at Tim. And I've seen that look on you before."

"I'm afraid to ask, but, what look?"

"That look that says you're head over heels for the person it's aimed at. And you're aiming it at Tim."

Roy sputtered a little. "Donna, he and I... we barely know each other. Kids notwithstanding."

She shook her head. "Doesn't matter. I'm not saying this is true love and a happily ever after, Roy. I know that's a lot of hard work for both of you, and the three kids who will be affected by this, but there's something there. Trust me."

Sighing, Roy conceded. "Ok, you may be right. But I can't... there's too much going on right now for us to be able to give 'us' the time it deserves. We've got the hatchlings, figuring out who hired me to steal them, why that person and Luthor wanted the eggs, and figuring out how to keep Dick from taking Lian from me."

"Dick thinks he is doing what's best for Lian."

"He's being a dick, Donna. He and Ollie and Dinah all are. They're convinced I'm back on drugs, without even listening to me, or really looking at my actions and why I'm doing it."

"Doctor Mid-Nite gave you narcotics."

"Yeah, and I tossed them into a prescription recycling program. Lian's hurt, and she needs me. She doesn't need some relapsed junkie dad stealing her drugs. She needs me by her side, not out taking any job I can to pay for her medical bills, but this is what I have to do for her, since Ollie went off the rails, Connor and Mia disappeared, and Dinah and Dick turned on me in a heartbeat, like they had been waiting for this for years. Big vote of confidence from my best friend and my sort-of mentor."

Donna reached out and put a hand on Roy's shoulder. "They want the best for you."

"Then why aren't they actually trying to _help_? Tim's the only person that when I asked for help, gave it without conditions, without challenging if I was on drugs. He just... asked what I needed and gave it." He looked over at Tim, who was licking blood off the muzzles of the now-drowsy hatchlings. They nuzzled back at him, making their growl-mewl noises. "I wish I'd known earlier, been able to help him out earlier, but I'm damn glad I was there to help them get out."

"I'm glad you were, too." Donna paused. "I wonder..."

Her voice broke off as the entrance to the Kitchen opened, and Batman stalked in. Not Bruce, this time. Different uniform, and different build and attitude. Dick Grayson.

"Donna," Dick said, "I need-" He stopped. "Roy."

"Batman." Roy didn't feel the need to refer to Dick by his name.

"What are you doing here?"

"Red Arrow was in a position to assist our guests in escaping from Luthor's minions," Donna said, nodding to where the hatchlings and Tim were looking at the humans with interest.

Dick looked over at the drakonae, then back to Roy. "Decided to do a little day saving in between fixes?"

Crossing his arms over his chest, Roy glared at his former teammate. "I am not on drugs."

Dick snorted. "Right. Meanwhile, while you're off getting your fix, who's taking care of Lian?"

"She has the best care I can afford, Dick. Maybe if you'd pull your head out of your ass, you'd actually see what was happening, instead of acting like Bruce at his most unforgiving, paranoid bastard-ness…"

He stopped as Dick took a step forward, fists clenched. "I am nothing like- _urk_." He stopped, hands coming up to his throat as it was pulled back. Roy blinked and looked to the side to see the two hatchlings behind Dick, his cape in their mouths. Soft growls came from their throats, and their scales had gone from green to black.

Dick turned, one hand going to his utility belt. Before he could open a pouch, Tim lowered his head to be level with Dick's, growling ominously as he stared at Dick. The tip of his tail lashed back and forth like a cat's, and the hatchlings' were doing the same. 

"I would back off, Dick," Donna said softly. "Drakonae are very protective of people they have claimed as their own, and this one and his children have apparently claimed Roy." Roy tried not to snort at that, considering he was the hatchlings' other parent.

Dick pulled his hand away from the belt and stepped back and to the side, so he didn't run into the hatchlings. Tim's head followed Dick's movement. "Call them off, Roy," Dick said as the hatchlings moved with Dick.

"How do you suggest I do that, Dick? If I'm just a junkie looking for his next fix, why should I care if you're roasted by some drakonae?" Roy asked bitterly.

Tim, in response to Dick's eyeing of the hatchlings, coughed, and a small jet of flame escaped, narrowly missing his older brother. "Roy," Dick said warningly, "this isn't going to help your case to keep Lian."

"Like you'd be able to use this against me, Dick. Not unless you're willing to reveal you're Batman. And to keep Lian, you think I wouldn't tell?" Roy was partially serious. Revealing Dick's identity would likely lead to Tim's identity being revealed as Robin and Red Robin.

"You wouldn't dare," Dick said, hand creeping back to his utility belt.

"Stop this," Donna said, putting herself in between the two men. "Dick, what will it take to convince you that Roy isn't using again?"

"A drug test would be a good start," Dick said. "An explanation for his behavior these past months, too."

Tim snorted, as if to say he didn't think Dick would believe it anyway. The drakonae leaned in, sniffing at Dick, head cocking almost thoughtfully. Roy frowned.

"Fine, I'll take a drug test, with two conditions."

"Oh, you can't--"

Donna's glare cut Dick off. "What conditions, Roy?"

"Doctor Mid-Nite does it all, drawing blood to testing. And Dick takes one, too."

"What?"

"I think that's fair," Donna said. "The way you've been acting lately, Dick, we should rule out some form of undue influence on you as well."

Dick glared at all of them, then stiffly nodded. "Fine. I'll be in the monitor room. Call me when Mid-Nite gets here." He turned, stopping short as the hatchlings still had hold of his cape. "If you don't mind?" he asked them.

Tim made a noise, and the hatchlings let go of Dick's cape before scrambling over to Roy, rising up on their hind legs, wings flapping, making their growl/mewl noises for his attention. Roy ignored Dick, kneeling down to scratch their heads and murmur soothingly to his children. He knew when Dick left the room, but he didn't look up.

When Dick had gone, Donna looked over at Tim. "Was the fire truly necessary?"

Tim turned around carefully, making sure his tail didn't knock them over, before he shifted back into human form. He grabbed the blanket that was nearby, a replacement for Superman's cape, and wrapped it around his waist before turning around to look at Donna. "Yes, it was, actually." He didn't elaborate as he knelt next to Roy and the hatchlings. "I'd have Doctor Mid-Nite check for known substances from Gotham criminals on both samples. I smelled something on Dick that smells familiar, but I can't place it."

"Why both samples?" Donna asked, eyebrow raised.

"So he can't complain we're singling him out. Everyone has the same results." Tim leaned against Roy. "I know you're not on drugs, Roy."

"I know you do, Tim," Roy replied, pressing a kiss to Tim's hair. "I know."

"I'll leave you four alone. Roy, I'll return when Doctor Mid-Nite arrives," Donna said, heading for the door. "Tim, I wouldn't stay in human form too long. Dick will likely check the cameras to make sure Roy isn't doing anything that would hide positive results."

Tim nodded. "Got it, Donna."

When she left, Tim turned to Roy. "Shall we subject Dick to family nap time? Three drakonae and a human in a pile?"

Roy chuckled. "Sounds good to me."

Tim stood and undid the blanket, shifting back to drakonae form and moving to where Diana had programmed in a sand bed for the drakonae. Once Tim had curled up on the sand, the hatchlings followed, one curling up by Tim's hind legs, the other near his head. That one stared at Roy until he came over and made himself comfortable between Tim's belly and the hatchling, who curled its wings in and rested against Roy, back to Roy's chest. Roy chuckled. 

"Night, all," he said, closing his eyes and letting the contented purring of the drakonae lull him into sleep.

* * *

Batman waited until Dr. Gallagher had paced to the end of the loading dock for the third time. While the man's back was to the door, Batman dropped lightly to the dock, letting his cape settle around him, mostly concealing his form. Gallagher turned, muttering to himself, took three steps, and then stopped. His eyes widened as he realized Batman stood there. 

Gallagher turned to run, and Batman allowed himself to smirk a little. Superman had descended while the scientist stared at Batman, so he turned around to find himself almost nose-to-chest with the Man of Steel.

"Going somewhere?" Superman asked in a tone that implied that, really, the man wasn't going anywhere.

"Uh." Gallagher looked over his shoulder at Batman.

"You promised to get Michael Shields' son into your experimental treatment program if he found someone to steal a dragon egg for you," Batman stated. "The egg is your 'extremely rare ingredient that only is available once every twenty years or so in the right quantities' for research project WP-RD-5315." He made it a statement, not a question.

Gallagher looked back at Superman, who had his arms folded across his chest as he stared at the scientist.

"Y-Yes. It is."

"Why?"

The man turned to face Batman. "Because that egg is so much more than just an egg! It's everything! Potentially a universal cure! AIDS, cancer, the common cold! The histories and stories and rumors on dragons all talk about humans with horrendous plagues and diseases being cured by ingesting dragon eggs! If we can find out what the eggs have that makes them a cure, Wayne Pharmaceuticals would be on the cutting edge of medicine!" Gallagher's face had lit up as he spoke. "If he's right, I could even win the Nobel Prize!"

"Who's right?" Batman asked, eyes narrowed behind the cowl.

"Why should I tell you?" Gallagher asked warily.

"Because I have no issue with leaving you dangling by an ankle from the top of Wayne Tower until the police figure out how to get you down." Batman's hand went to his utility belt.

"Don't look at me, I'm not supposed to interfere with Batman in Gotham," Superman said when Gallagher turned pleading eyes on the Kryptonian.

Batman didn't snort in disbelief, despite wanting to. The big blue boy scout _would_ interfere if Batman did leave Gallagher dangling from a grapple line on the top of Wayne Tower, but Gallagher didn't know that. "Who told you?" he asked again, voice darker, pulling de-cel line from his utility belt.

"I met a guy at the Pandemic Disease Research Conference last month. He told me about the eggs, and how he was in the process of acquiring one, how the first researcher to unlock the mystery of why the eggs could cure anything would be a god among men. I couldn't let someone else take that, especially not since Luthor Corp's version of me was nearby during this conversation. So I wrote up the proposal at the conference and sent it up the chain. No time to waste!"

"Wayne Pharmaceuticals doesn't allow animal testing," Superman said repressively.

"You got approval by making it sound like a rare plant," Batman added.

"I had to! Otherwise Luthor Corp or that Kase guy would have won the race to the cure!" Gallagher's eyes had a light of fanaticism in them. "I had to be the one to get the egg, to unlock the cure!"

"Kase is the one who told you about the eggs?"

Gallagher nodded. "He introduced himself as Terry Gene Kase."

Anything else Gallagher said was lost in the haze of red anger that crossed Batman's vision and muffled his hearing. Terry Gene Kase. The alias he'd used for Ra's al Ghul, when he'd committed the man to Arkham. What did Ra's know about these drakonae? Did he know Tim was one?

"The egg is beyond your reach now," Batman said, interrupting Gallagher. "If you want a small chance of saving your job, I recommend confessing all this to Lucius Fox in the morning. Before I do it for you." He stared at Gallagher until the man swallowed and nodded. Batman didn't grin, but he reached out and grabbed Gallagher's sweater. "Good. Let's make sure you have the opportunity first thing."

Gallagher didn't scream, but his whimper of fear as he was dragged to Lucius' office and bound and gagged, left to wait for the man on the floor, was satisfying to Batman.

* * *

When Doctor Mid-Nite arrived, Tim woke Roy up by growling at the man as he and Mr. Terrific approached the family. The hatchlings woke, picking up on Tim's mood, and growling at the Justice Society members. Roy yawned and reached out to pat the hatchling near him, giving Tim a look. "It's just Dr. Mid-Nite and Mr. Terrific," he said to Tim. "They're not going to hurt me."

Tim subsided, but Roy noticed he still eyed the two men with suspicion. The hatchlings moved closer to Roy, one of them lashing it's tail against the floor like a cat.

"We're here to take your blood sample, then you can go back to your nap," Terrific said with some amusement as he watched the three drakonae and Roy.

"I'd also like to check your arm,' Doctor Mid-Nite said.

Roy nodded and stood, following the two men over to a chair that had appeared sometime during his nap. The hatchlings followed Roy, sitting on his feet once he'd sat down. Tim followed as well, settling close enough that he could see, but not be in the way. As Doctor Mid-Nite prepared to draw blood from Roy's arm, Mr. Terrific's T-spheres drifted closer to the hatchlings. The one on Roy's left foot looked at them, puzzled. The one on his right snapped, grabbing the sphere in it's mouth, a startled expression on it's face. Tim gave a drakonae chuckle as Mr. Terrific blinked at the hatchling.

"May I have that back, please?" he asked the hatchling. Roy could see the sphere had gone motionless in the drakonae's mouth. The hatchling looked up at Mr. Terrific, then back at Tim. Tim leaned forward to nudge the hatchling, which opened it's mouth and spat out the sphere.

"Thank you," Mr. Terrific said, picking it up and drying it off with a cloth from his jacket. The hatchling leaned over and licked at Roy's free arm repeatedly.

"I guess they don't taste all that good, huh?" Roy asked the hatchling. He hissed as Doctor Mid-Nite inserted the needle in his arm for the blood sample, and the hatchlings went tense, turning to growl at the man.

"Sorry," Roy said, rubbing the hatchling's head. "They're a little protective."

"So I can tell," Doctor Mid-Nite said with a trace of humor in his voice. "Donna Troy warned us they might be, but this is fascinating to see."

"Where did you come across them?" Mr. Terrific asked as he stepped closer to Tim. Tim lowered his head until he was staring the man in the face. 

"It's a long story," Roy hedged, not wanting to talk about the job he'd been on. "But, basically, in a cave in the Appalachians."

"Hm." Mr. Terrific leaned in towards Tim. Tim, displaying a sense of humor that he only seemed to do in drakonae form, stuck his tongue out and licked Mr. Terrific's face. The man blinked in shock.

"Was that really necessary?" Roy asked Tim.

Tim's response was to shift his position so he could lick Roy's face and then nuzzle him. Tim was playing the animal side of his nature to the hilt here, but Roy couldn't help pressing a kiss to Tim's muzzle. "You're hopeless."

"Looks like you've gotten attached as well," Doctor Mid-Nite idly noted as he finished drawing blood from Roy.

"Hard not to," Roy admitted, stroking one of the hatchlings as it butted at his knee. "I was there when the little ones hatched." He didn't know if Doctor Mid-Nite and Mr. Terrific knew that drakonae were human as well, didn't know if they knew that this particular drakonae was Red Robin. So he didn't say that Tim was his lover, the hatchlings his children.

"Being present at a birth is always a momentous occasion," Doctor Mid-Nite said as he picked up Roy's right arm to examine it. "You've been using this arm."

"Kinda had to, doc." His own health took second place to Lian's needs.

"Have you even taken the painkillers I prescribed?"

"They were narcotics and I'm recovering. Hell no I didn't take them."

"Then you've been in pain this whole time? Why didn't you ask for non-narcotic painkillers?" Doctor Mid-Nite looked troubled. Tim made a low noise, but he was looking at Roy, not Doctor Mid-Nite. Roy could tell Tim was annoyed with him.

"It comes and goes, depending on what I'm doing and how much rest I've had. More the past day because of running from Luthor's goons," he admitted. “And I didn't want any prescription painkillers near me, narcotic or not.” He couldn't afford to give Dick and Dinah any ammunition to use against him.

"Roy, the work I did needs time and rest to fully repair your arm. After six months, you should be much further along in your recovery than you are. I can tell just from this that some of the work has been undone. I'll need to do a more thorough exam to determine exactly what damage has been done, but I can tell at least one of the nerves is compromised, based on the fact that I've been poking your pinky finger with a needle for the past minute and you've not flinched once."

Roy looked down at where Doctor Mid-Nite was poking him and winced. He hadn't noticed there was a problem with that finger, but not that he thought about it, there had been since before he'd found Tim in the cave. "Once we get this drug b.s. out of the way and the drakonae settled, I'll stop by the JSA and let you poke and prod to your heart's content and keep to what you tell me, all right, Doc?"

Doctor Mid-Nite regarded Roy solemnly. "I'll hold you to that, Roy," he said. "Until then, minimize use of that arm. I don't want to see that nerve compromised further." He picked up the vials of blood and turned toward the door. "I'll have the results of the blood work within two hours, since I already have Batman's samples."

"Thanks," Roy said, giving the man a smile. 

Mr. Terrific, who'd been amusing one of the hatchlings by having a T-sphere fly low to the ground, letting the hatchling chase it, stood from his crouch with a pat to the hatchling's head and headed for the door with Doctor Mid-Nite. "We'll see you in two hours," he said. "Get some rest."

The door closed behind them. Tim raised his head to look at the cameras consideringly. Roy knew he was thinking of changing back into a human and chewing Roy out. "I know, I know," he said, standing and going to lean against Tim's side. "Silly and stupid of me, but I'd do it again for Lian, and the hatchlings, and I know you would do the same. Considering you hid from the world for four months because of them." He sighed. "My kids are my life. I'd willingly go to my death to save them."

Tim huffed but delicately licked at Roy's arm, seemingly in agreement. Roy stayed like that, resting against Tim, until the hatchlings came over and began nipping at Tim, their scales the warm copper color that Roy thought indicated they were in playful moods. He stepped away from Tim and watched as the elder drakonae played chase around the Kitchen with the two younger, happy sounds coming from all three of them. Roy sat down on the ground and let himself focus on his family in front of him, instead of the problems everywhere else in his life.

* * *

Bruce hurried down the corridor of the Watchtower to the conference room, Clark behind him. "You still haven't told me who Terry Gene Kase is," Clark said mildly. "You didn't seem surprised that he was behind this plot to steal Tim's children."

"I don't think stealing the children was his primary goal. His main target was me, and my company. I don't know if he even knew the drakonae eggs are Tim's children," Bruce replied. Though, if he had known, Ra's al Ghul would more than likely have sent his own team of assassins in to take the egg. Not only to tweak Bruce by having possession and control over Bruce's 'grandson' as Bruce had Ra's al Ghul's grandson in his own house, but also to get revenge on Tim for destroying the Cradle and foiling his first plot to take over Wayne Enterprises.

"So he doesn't know that you're Batman, either."

"No. He knows," Bruce said darkly. "Considering his grandson is Robin."

Clark's footsteps stopped. "Ra's al Ghul is behind this?"

Sighing, Bruce stopped and turned around. "Terry Gene Kase is the alias I gave to Ra's al Ghul when I had him committed to Arkham under heavy sedation. The orderlies eventually missed a dose, and he became lucid enough to escape. Using that alias now is his way to subtly letting me know who is behind destroying my company. If Roy had completed the job, Gallagher would have begun experimentation, likely killing the hatchling in the process. At that point, Ra's would have ensured it became public knowledge that Wayne Pharmaceuticals was testing on animals. Which would have ignited a fire storm as we've publicly stated on several occasions that we do no such thing. Add to it the fact that I signed off on the experiment, and I'm sure Gallagher would have been manipulated into staying I knew what the ingredient was and signed anyway, and the company would take a huge financial hit."

"Which he would have taken advantage of and bought up stock until he was majority shareholder."

"Exactly." Bruce turned and started toward the conference room. "Although it seems too simplistic for him, too many variables. One animal experimented on in more than a decade is news and would rightfully have us vilified in the public eye, but it's still tenuous if some other news item overrides it and that story is buried so that not enough people are outraged and dump their stock."

"Bruce," Clark said slowly, "what if Ra's knew that the dragon was drakonae? Not Tim, specifically, but a dragon-shapeshifter, such that he could reveal not just animal testing, but human testing? Human testing that killed the subject."

Bruce stopped. "Damn. That's exactly what he was up to. Why didn't I see that?"

"Too close, too worried that he was seeing Tim in the drakonae, instead of seeing just a drakonae," Clark replied, putting a hand on Bruce's shoulder.

Before Bruce could respond, Diana stuck her head out of the door of the conference room. "Good, you're here. We've been waiting for you."

Bruce straightened and nodded, moving away from Clark's hand. "What's happening?" Bruce asked as he entered the room. All the members of the Justice League, including Dick's team, were assembled. Except for Dick. Doctor Mid-Nite and Mr. Terrific stood at the head of the conference table.

"We've completed the blood analysis on the former Red Arrow, now Arsenal, and the former Nightwing, now Batman," Doctor Mid-Nite began.

"Why did you test Batman's blood?" Clark asked.

"Red Arrow insisted on it as a condition to his undergoing a blood test," Donna Troy replied. "He suspected something might be wrong with Batman, given his behavior lately."

"Except that both sets of blood tests came back clean," Mr. Terrific replied. He gestured and two reports appeared on the screen on the center of the table. "On the left is Red Arrow's. As you can see, it's clean of any foreign substances. No drugs, either illegal, controlled, or over the counter. We even managed to test managed to obtain a stray shed hair from Red Arrow. It, too, shows no signs of drugs within the time period reflected in the hair growth. Meaning that he has been clean for several months." 

Bruce glanced at Black Canary, who stood next to Green Arrow. Both of them looked abashed. He still could not understand why Canary had been working with Dick to take Lian Harper away from her father. Was it guilt, he wondered. Guilt over not being there for Roy in the aftermath of Lian being hurt? Guilt that she'd been more focused on helping the other citizens of Star City and left her own family until last? Bruce supposed they wouldn't know unless Canary felt like talking.

"So the one on the right is Batman's," Vic said. "It's clean of everything, too. You get a sample of his hair?"

"No, he wouldn't take the cowl off," Doctor Mid-Nite said with a glance toward Bruce. Bruce gave a small tight smile.

"I was there when the drakonae indicated he smelled something wrong with Dick," Donna Troy said, tilting her head. "I've never known a drakonae to be wrong on that. Especially not one as familiar with the subject as this one."

"This shape shifting dragon knows Batman?" Ollie asked. The entire League had been briefed on the presence of the drakonae and his hatchlings, though, per Bruce's orders, only those who had been there at Tim's arrival knew the drakonae was Tim Drake, Red Robin. 

"He does," Diana said, stepping forward. "And Donna is right, if the drakonae sensed something off, there is something off."

"Do you have the blood samples here?" Zatanna asked suddenly, pushing away from the wall and approaching the main table. 

Doctor Mid-Nite nodded as Mr. Terrific pulled out a case. He opened it and set it on the table. Zatanna held her hands out. " _Laever yna cigam!_ "

After a moment, both vials began to glow. The one on the right had a bright red glow around it, swirling in the vial with the blood. The left one had a subtle white glow, pulsing in a rhythm similar to a heartbeat. 

"Zatanna?" Bruce asked as the woman stayed silent for a minute.

"Which is which?" she asked. "I think I know, but I need to make sure."

"The one on the right, with the red glow, is Batman's," Mr. Terrific said. "Red Arrow's is the other."

Zatanna nodded. "Dick is under the influence of a very powerful spell. I can feel the negative energy flowing from it. I'll need to examine him to determine what it is and the best way to break it, though."

"What about Roy's spell?" Ollie asked.

"That's not a spell, but it is magic. Bonding magic, weak, easily broken, but bonding magic nonetheless."

"Drakonae symbolon?" Diana asked knowingly. Bruce tensed. 

"Possible, but as I said, weak. They may not realize it yet." Zatanna looked up. "Where's Dick?"

Speaking up for the first time since the meeting began, Oracle's mask appeared on the screen. "Batman is in the Kitchen with Red Arrow and the drakonae. I've been monitoring. Red Arrow received a phone call that has him upset, and the drakonae is clearly not happy with Batman, and showing it with spurts of fire."

"We might want to intervene," Diana said, looking at Bruce with mild alarm.

"I agree," Clark said, turning and heading for the Kitchen. The rest followed, Zatanna slipping in next to Bruce.

"You have a sedative with you that will work on Dick?"

He reached into a belt pouch and pulled out a syringe with the standard sedative that Dick hadn't yet been too acclimatized to. "Yes, why?"

"It will be easier to figure out the spell he's under if he's not actively fighting me. And might save him some discomfort when I end the spell."

"Understood."

Clark opened the doors of the Kitchen and walked in. They all stopped, and out of the corner of his eyes, Bruce saw Zatanna cover her mouth with a hand to attempt to hid her smile. Dick was several feet from them, his path to Roy and the hatchlings blocked by Tim, in drakonae form. Tim's body was angled so Dick wouldn't be able to slip around him and confront Roy. From the sounds, Roy and the hatchlings were playing tag. Tim's head was lowered, looking Dick in the eyes with one eye. Tendrils of smoke curled from Tim's mouth, and scorch marks on the walls indicated Tim had been breathing fire, clearly upset with his eldest brother.

"Dick," Bruce said, stepping up next to his oldest son.

"Bruce. Did you get the results?" Dick didn't take his eyes off Tim's head. Had Dick known about Tim's shape shifting abilities, Bruce idly wondered. The two of them had been very close, and Tim might have confided in his older brother. Of course, Dick wasn't reacting like this was Tim, so perhaps Tim really hadn't told anyone.

"We did." Bruce turned quickly, catching Dick off guard and injecting him with the syringe. Dick's eyes widened in betrayal. "You've been compromised by magic, Dick." He caught Dick as the younger man sagged, and Clark appeared on Dick's other side to help ease him to the ground.

"Roy-"

"He's clean," Clark said, his eyes flickering to Tim, and where Roy had approached, still on Tim's other side. 

"It will be all right, Dick," Bruce said. Dick fought the sedative, but eventually his eyes closed and he went limp.

"He was under a spell?" Roy asked as Zatanna knelt by Dick's head, removing the cowl and concentrating on her work.

Bruce looked at him and nodded. "We're not sure what it did to him, yet."

Roy's eyes widened, then narrowed. "Could it be why he's been so irrational about me lately?" 

"I think he had good reason, Roy," Dinah said.

Roy's eyes snapped to her. He said nothing, but moved quickly, grabbing and throwing a knife at Dinah. Barry sped across the room, catching it before it could hit her shoulder. "Roy!" he exclaimed. Dinah backed up so she was against the wall, eyes narrowed as he settled into a defensive stance, but Roy made no move to advance.

"Where is she, Dinah?"

"Roy--"

"Where. Is. She?" Roy cut her off. "I don't want explanations or excuses. Where is my daughter?"

"Dinah?" Superman asked, looking back and forth between the two.

"Roy, you have to understand," Dinah began.

"No, I don't have to understand," Roy said. "I just need to know where Lian is." Behind Roy, Tim was growling, wisps of smoke curling from his nostrils.

Wally stepped forward, hands up. "Roy, what happened?"

"Just before Dick came in here, I got a call from the police. A woman matching Black Canary's description kidnapped Lian from my house this afternoon, threatening her caretakers, who are her legal guardians while I'm away. So, Dinah. Where. Is. My. Daughter?" Roy had another knife in his hand, gesturing with each word.

"Roy, she's fine. She's with medical professionals--"

Tim had taken a step back from Roy, and now movement caught Bruce's eye as Tim shifted into human form, crossing his arms and ignoring his state of undress to glare at Dinah. "She was with medical professionals before you interfered, Canary," he spat out. "The police now have a warrant out for you for kidnapping, and I'm certainly going to be encouraging Roy to press charges if Lian isn't returned to him."

There was a blur around Tim that resolved itself into Wally, who had tied the blanket around Tim's waist. "Thank you," Tim said without taking his gaze from Dinah.

"No problem," Wally said. "We didn't really need to see that, and what the hell, I thought Bats didn't allow metas in Gotham."

"Long story," Batman growled. "Getting Lian Harper home is the focus."

"You were gone, Roy, always off on what you claimed was business. Leaving Lian with people that were unknowns."

"You honestly think I didn't vet each and every one of them? Through channels better than yours? I checked them all through Checkmate and a few other resources, Dinah. You think I would leave my little girl with someone I didn't trust?"

"You could have left her with us!" she said.

"Clearly he couldn't, because this is not the action of someone Roy could trust with his daughter," Tim spat. The hatchlings came to stand by Tim and Roy, their scales black, wings swept back as they looked at Dinah, growling softly. "Goodness knows I'm never asking you or Dick to babysit my children," he added, putting a hand on one of the hatchling's heads. 

"Dinah," Ollie's voice broke through the silence that had fallen as everyone stared between Tim and the hatchlings, putting it together. "Where's Lian?"

Dinah turned to him. "Ollie, don't you see--"

" _Eerf hanid morf siht lleps!_ " Zatanna suddenly shouted. 

The air rippled around Dinah, and she collapsed, her eyes closing. Ollie caught her, eyes wide. "Zatanna?" Ollie sounded worried.

" _Eerf kcid morf siht lleps!_ " Zatanna said in reply. The man on the ground jerked, gasping, before falling back into the stillness of sleep. "Nasty spell," Zatanna said, standing up. "Designed to make the victim, in this case Dick, feel extreme distrust and paranoia about someone, and a secondary spell was attached that transferred to someone else. In this case, Dinah. Only the spell caster was sloppy," she said with a frown. "It didn't specify a person that the spell was aimed at, but rather it activated when Dick looked at someone who he feels worried affection for."

"Like Roy, when he'd lost his arm," Donna said. "But why would someone want to do this to Dick and Roy?"

"Maybe it wasn't about Roy?" Wally asked. "I mean, think about it, if you're going to associate Batman with worried affection, who's more likely to be that person?"

"Robin," Bruce said. 

Wally nodded. "Exactly. But for whatever reason, Robin wasn't the first person Dick saw after being whammied with the spell, Roy was. So it stuck on him and then spread to Dinah. If Roy had seen Robin first..."

"It would have stuck on Robin and spread to..." Tim looked at Bruce, knowing they were thinking the same thing. Alfred would have been affected by it, since they both knew Tim's feelings regarding Damian lacked affection or worry.

Next to Bruce, Clark went still. "I wonder if the spell is part of that theory we had earlier. It makes perfect sense, given what we've learned about the attempt to steal the drakonae eggs. If the wedge was intended to be driven between Batman and the current Robin, Ra's al Ghul is a likely suspect, especially with trying to ruin WE."

Bruce nodded as the others looked at him. "Red Arrow was indirectly hired by a scientist at Wayne Pharmaceuticals, who wanted to use the eggs for universal cure research. He'd been made aware of the eggs and the cure by Ra's al Ghul."

He could hear the slight gasps and noises of horror from the other heroes, followed by an unexpected snort from Donna Troy. The entire justice league looked at her. Both she and Wonder Woman looked amused. "Humanity has been trying that for millennia," Diana explained. "The drakonae are very good at ensuring it doesn't happen. As in this case."

"Is there any truth to that?" Barry sounded intrigued.

"No." Tim's response was flat. Diana and Donna looked at him, but he looked back with no expression. Diana finally nodded, but said nothing in response. Bruce resolved to ask Tim later, when the entire league was not present.

"So why does the rumor persist then?" Clark asked.

"Because humans who kill drakonae eggs claim to be cured, and those who aren't don't talk about it. Assuming they talk about killing the eggs in the first place." Tim crossed his arms. "What's going to happen to the scientist?"

"He's going to be very closely monitored at WE. If we let him go, there's no telling what he would do."

Tim made a noise, but said nothing. Roy put an arm around Tim's shoulders. "Does Ra's al Ghul know about Tim, or was this just coincidence?"

"We don't know. Although if he'd known Tim was the drakonae in question, it's more likely he would have tried to capture them as his own."

"He would like having an army of drakonae at his beck and call," Tim mused. "Though, really, drakonae are not good minion material."

Donna laughed. "No, as one Greek war leader found to his detriment."

Tim smiled back at her. "Exactly."

"Do I want to know?" Wally asked.

"Ancient history," Donna said. "Greek war leader thought he could capture an army of drakonae and make them do his bidding. For a while, they played along, but one morning, he woke up to discover his entire army deprived of the horses and pack animals they needed for the march, and his drakonae missing. One remained, set fire to the general's tent once it was empty, and took off."

"He'd forgotten he needed to feed the drakonae, and he planned to raid a drakonae hatching cavern to capture an egg," Tim added with a roll of his eyes. "So they ate the animals and took off. Well, they saved a few for the hatchlings," he added as one of his hatchlings bumped its head against Tim's thigh. Tim looked down, a small, soft smile on his face as he ran a hand over the drakonae's scales, which were turning from black to dark blue. "Can't let these little guys go hungry, after all."

"So what now?" Ollie asked from his spot by Dinah, who still lay on the ground.

"Now, I make sure these two are cleared of this spell, then I wake them up," Zatanna said.

"And then Dinah will take me to my daughter," Roy growled.

"But first I think you and I need to hunt again," Donna said, nodding at the hatchlings. "They're getting hungry."

"How can you tell?" Barry walked carefully toward the hatchlings, stopping quite a distance away. One of them, not shy, made its way to Barry and reached out to grab his arm in its jaws, lightly from what Bruce could tell. Barry looked at the hatchling in surprised, gently tugging his arm away. The hatchling didn't let go, making a noise as Barry tugged harder, before tugging back. 

"I think you're teaching them a new game, Barry," Clark remarked.

"I'm not a chew toy," the speedster said gently to the hatchling. The hatchling gave another noise, one that had Tim and Roy smiling. Bruce would bet the hatchling was happy with this new game.

"As for how we can tell they're hungry, other than the fact they're chewing on your arm," Tim said, "their scales change color based on their emotions. The color will settle into one based on their personality when they're almost an adult in human years, but until then, well, my dad used to say I had mood scales." Bruce heard the wistfulness in Tim's voice as he spoke of his father. His attempt to move over and comfort Tim was aborted when Roy pulled Tim closer against his side, kissing the top of Tim's head.

"So when they're hungry, they turn blue?" Wally had joined Barry, and the second hatchling had crept forward carefully, closing its jaws around Wally's arm. Donna walked up to crouch by him, rubbing her hand on the hatchling's head, and it made a purr-like sound in response.

"Dark blue, yes," Tim said, turning to nuzzle at Roy before stepping out of his embrace and joining the trio and the hatchlings. He ran a hand over the tail of the one chewing on Barry, and it released him to turn on its parent, licking Tim's face. "See where it's tail is more copper, though? That's the color for a playful mood. So though it's hungry, it likes playing with Flash."

"And the black?" Bruce asked. Much of the hatchlings' bodies was still black in color, despite the encroaching dark blue and copper on both.

Tim ran his hand down the hatchling's neck, earning himself another lick to the face. Tim merely smiled at the hatchling, and Bruce couldn't help but compare Tim's behavior to what he remembered from before. The biggest change was the open affection he displayed toward his children, and to Roy. Tim had always been reserved, careful in his affections and only truly opening up to a few people. This openness in front of so many was unusual.

"Black is... it's hard to describe. Protectiveness, mostly. Anger, as well. Sometimes fear."

Donna and Roy were giving Tim sharp looks, and Bruce realized that Tim's scales had been black when he'd first arrived on the Watchtower. In fact, Bruce hadn't seen Tim's drakonae form in any color other than black.

"Well, if the blue color spreading means the hatchlings are getting hungrier, Donna and Roy should go hunting soon," Wally said, standing up. The hatchling that had been chewing on his arm had switched to Donna's, earning a delighted smile from the younger Amazonian. "Zatanna, you need any help getting Dick to the infirmary?"

"Yes, thank you, Wally," she replied. "I want to make sure there's no nasty aftereffects on Dick and Dinah."

The others slowly filtered out of the Kitchen, until only Bruce, Tim, Roy, and Donna were left. "I'm going to confront Ra's al Ghul," Bruce said. "If it seems like he knew you were the drakonae in question, Tim, I'll let you know."

Tim nodded. "Thank you, Bruce."

Bruce walked to the door. Before he left, he turned back to see Roy kneeling next to Tim, arm around him and matching smiles on their faces as they watched their children. If Bruce were given to flights of fancy, he would say he could see his son, his Robin, slipping away from him, but he wasn't. It was a trick of the light. He turned away and left, planning his confrontation with Ra's.

* * *

"Tim," Donna said softly, not wanting to interrupt the moment, but before she and Roy went hunting, she wanted to say this. Especially now when Roy was on the other side of the room, checking his bow and filling his quiver for the hunt.

The young man looked up at her, eyes still a little sad with memories. "Donna?"

"When Zatanna checked Dick and Roy's blood samples for magic, Dick's wasn't the only one that glowed. Roy's did too. Weak bonding magic, she said. Diana thinks it might be symbolon."

Tim's eyes widened. "I thought that took more time," he said. "More than once..."

"Diana might know more than I do about it, but from what I've heard, it's not just physical closeness, Tim. It's emotional, and you and Roy are obviously close." She smiled at him. "You know symbolon isn't permanent without the ritual, right?"

Tim nodded. "But I'm not performing it without Roy's consent."

"I never thought you would. But I thought you would want to know, so you and Roy can discuss this." She gave Tim a smile. "Despite his considerable, and understandable, worry for Lian, Roy is happier than I'd seen him in a long time, even before Star City was destroyed. And you and the hatchlings are responsible for it. So I'm rooting for you, Tim. You deserve to be happy as well."

"Even if I'm no longer a hero?" Tim asked softly. "I can't go back, Donna. I've lost too much, and before, I could cope with the loss--"

Not well, though, Donna thought. She had seen Tim, seen how much all those losses had weighed on him.

"--but if I lost my children, or Roy, because of being Red Robin? I couldn't handle that."

"We don't know each other well, Tim, but I will support you in your choice, if that means leaving the cape and mask behind permanently or just being a part time hero. I, more than most of us, know how hard it is to juggle parenthood with heroing. Just because I did it, or Roy does it, doesn't mean that you should do it or should even want to do it. Do what's right for you, and to Tartarus with the rest of them, drakonae," she added with a smile, one that grew wider as Tim laughed.

"Thank you, Donna," he said.

Roy walked up then, one hand coming to rest on Tim's head where the younger man was kneeling with the hatchlings. "I'll be back with food as soon as I can," he told Tim.

Standing, Tim tugged on Roy's shirt, pulling him closer for a quick kiss to his lips, one that had Donna turning away and smiling. She truly hoped Tim and Roy would complete their nascent symbolon.

"Ready to go, Wonder Chick?" Roy asked. Donna turned back to her friend, her fellow Titan and brother.

"Ready, Bow Head."

"Have fun storming the castle," Tim said with a laugh as they left. 

"As you wish," Roy called back. The door was shut before Tim replied, and Roy stopped, a look crossing his face as he realized what he'd said.

"Don't you dare take it back," Donna warned. "I'm pretty sure you'd be lying."

Roy nodded. "Yeah, I would be."

"Talk it over with him later, after the hatchlings are fed," she told him as they headed for the transporter platform. "But for the record? I approve."

Roy stopped and pulled Donna into a hug. "Thanks, Donna," he said.

"Anytime, Roy. Anytime."

* * *

"You failed, Ra's."

The near-immortal man didn't turn around. One of his ninja attacked Bruce, only to find himself unconscious on the ground in twenty three seconds.

"In what way did I fail, Detective?"

"Terry Gene Kase's plan to expose human-animal shapeshifter testing at Wayne Enterprises. Your man was stupid enough to hire a former hero. One who chose to protect the drakonae instead of deliver them for testing."

Ra's finally turned around, frowning. "A minor setback, Detective. Wayne Enterprises will be mine."

"You knew about the drakonae."

"I have known about drakonae for years, Detective. It was fortuitous that one had clutched so near to Gotham at the right time, but no matter. In twenty or thirty years, that drakonae hatchling will have its own egg, and then I can start again. Assuming I haven't already taken over Wayne Enterprises. Or Damian hasn't," he added with a smirk.

"Your plan to drive a wedge between he and Dick failed as well, Ra's."

The man raised an eyebrow. "As I had no such plan to separate Richard and my grandson, Detective, I don't believe its failure can be laid at my feet."

"I drove the wedge between Richard and our son, Beloved," Talia said as she strode into the room, heels clicking on the marble as her black dress swirled around her legs. "Our son was meant to be more than Robin, more than just a sidekick. It was time he returned home, but he chose to follow Grayson. He will learn that his place is here, not with those who do not trust him."

Ra's looked at Talia. "What did you do, daughter?" he asked idly.

"Simple magic to have Grayson and Pennyworth distrust Damian, sending him home to where he belongs, Father."

Bruce smirked. "You should choose your magicians more carefully, Talia. The spell wasn't aimed at Damian. Dick never distrusted him, and neither did Alfred. And now we're on guard for further magic." He glared at both of them. "Leave. My. Family. Alone."

He turned and walked away, tensely anticipating ninja or a knife in the back. None came, which worried him more. But as he flew away from Ra's' hideout, he knew they would be ready for whatever else the al Ghul family threw at them.

* * *

Tim looked up as Bruce, Dick, and Damian came into the Kitchen, all three in uniform. The hatchlings turned to look at them as well, but went back to their meal. Roy was cleaning up in his old quarters on the Watchtower while Tim and the hatchlings ate, the hunt having been messy. Of course, if Dick was awake, Dinah might be also, and Roy could be rescuing Lian. 

One of the hatchlings burped, and Tim leaned down to lick at the hatchling's muzzle, cleaning it of blood. They were almost done, he could tell, their bellies stretched full and their scales almost totally green.

"Disgusting," Damian said. Tim ignored him, hearing Bruce reprimand the younger boy for his attitude. The other hatchling butted at Tim's head, and he licked that one as well, cleaning them up as best he could before they fell asleep. He nudged them toward the sleeping area, making soothing noises in response to their sleepy mewls. Finally, they were in a pile together, but one raised its head and looked around, giving an inquisitive growl, clearly looking for Roy. Tim growled back in response and it laid its head back down, yawning before dropping into sleep. Tim spent a long moment watching his children, before turning to the three watchers, making sure he was fully between them and his children.

"I still don't understand why we are here," Damian said. He crossed his arms over his chest, glaring through his Robin mask at Tim.

"Because we have something to discuss as a family," Bruce replied. He looked up at Tim. "If you wouldn't mind?"

Tim huffed out a small jet of flame in irritation that Bruce would ask him to change in front of Dick and Damian, especially when Bruce _knew_ that Tim would be naked. Dick and Damian jumped, but Bruce remained impassive, watching. Tim stared back at him.

"He wants you to turn around," Roy said as he entered the Kitchen in clean clothes. "I can't blame him."

"Roy," Dick said, flinching as he turned to face his friend.

"Save it, Short Pants," Roy said. "We'll talk later, but right now, you all need to turn around, or he's just going to keep spouting flames."

Bruce put a hand on Damian's neck and forced him to turn his back to Tim. He did the same thing. Roy walked forward and grabbed Tim's sweatpants and t-shirt, returned by Kara after Ma had laundered them. Tim reached inside himself to the human part and forced it outward, feeling himself shrink, repressing the hisses he wanted to give at the pain. He'd learned to hide them, to change quietly to avoid being seen, at a young age.

Back in human form, he gave Roy a grateful smile, as he took the clothing. Roy glanced over at the others, then leaned in to give Tim a quick kiss on the lips. Tim couldn't help but smile back, wanting to lean in for another, but knowing that it could be observed by Bruce and the others, he resisted, pulling back and hastily dressing. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath to center himself, then opened his eyes and nodded at Roy.

"You can turn around now."

"Tim!" Dick exclaimed as he turned around. "What?"

"Drakonae," Damian spat. "How like you, Drake, to hide your true nature from Father. I was right to take your place, shapeshifter."

Dick looked at Damian, then back at Tim. "Tim? You're a meta?" he asked, shock crossing his face.

"I am a drakonae," Tim said, allowing pride to seep into his voice. "Not a mere metahuman. We are a race as ancient as the Amazons, granted our abilities by the Greek gods."

"Tt. Drakonae are only good for the eggs, if you get them before they hatch."

Before anyone could react, a knife buried itself in the ground between Damian's feet. "I'd watch what you say about my children, Robin."

Bruce's hand on Damian's shoulder kept the younger man from replying, though Bruce did. "Do not throw knives at my son, Red Arrow."

"Then he shouldn't threaten our children, Batman," Tim spat back. "Legally speaking, your grandchildren, may I remind you."

"As if Father will acknowledge you now that he knows you're a metahuman. A disgrace to the Wayne and Robin names."

"Get out." Roy's abrupt statement rang through the Kitchen.

"Roy," Dick began.

"Leave," Tim said in response. "I'm done with Gotham. I won't be associated with the killer you've got in the Robin suit, especially not when he kills while wearing it. And he will, Dick," Tim said as his older brother began to protest. Tim wasn't in the mood to placate Damian after that threat to the hatchlings, to his entire race. "You know he will. It may not be his choice, given what his mother tried to do to him with the spinal replacement," Tim mentally thanked Donna for telling him that bit of gossip, "but it will happen."

"We will deal with that if it happens," Bruce said darkly.

Tim snorted. " _You_ will. I'm done. I have a family to raise, and I won't abandon them. Besides, what do I have waiting for me in Gotham? A 'brother' who thought I was crazy and whose idea of an apology is 'the bunker is big enough for three'?" Tim looked directly at Dick, who at least had the grace to blush. Tim turned back to Bruce. "You don't allow metahumans in Gotham, and I'm not going to let my children grow up feeling inferior to regular humans. If Damian even counts as a 'regular' human after all the genetic manipulation Talia did to make sure he was 'perfect'." Four months of isolation, and months before that of all of Damian's attitude, insults, Dick's indifference to Tim's needs, came bursting out.

Damian snarled and broke from Bruce's grasp, Batarang in hand, heading for Tim. Tim didn't think, just shifted into drakonae form, clothes tearing, flames bursting from his muzzle to land just close enough to Damian that he had to stop and toss up an arm to protect his face from the heat.

"TIM!" Bruce yelled, his own batarang out. Dick stared at Tim, while Roy had a knife in his hand, ready to throw. Tim let flames drift past his teeth, glaring at Damian and growling. The boy was not going to get past Tim to his children. 

"Dick, get Damian out of here," Roy ordered. "Now."

Damian fought against Dick's hold as he grabbed his Robin and pulled him out of the Kitchen, still snarling at Tim. Tim watched him, still growling, until the doors shut behind them.

"What the hell were you thinking, bringing Damian here, Bruce?" Roy asked. "He's tried to kill Tim once, and you really thought it was a good idea to bring him here for this revelation?"

Bruce glared at Tim. "You tried to kill him."

Tim reached inside for the human part of him, letting his anger drown out the pain of shifting. "No, Bruce, I aimed so that he wouldn't be incinerated, only toasted a little. He had a weapon and he was on a direct path to my children."

"You provoked him."

"And he provoked me. And don't start in with the 'you're older, you're more mature, you should know better' bullshit," Tim said, "because I'm not buying it anymore. He's Robin, and he should damn well start acting like it."

"I'm not excusing him--"

"Yes, you are. You always have. Same for Jason. Hell, I'm sure you can justify Dick giving away the role _you_ promised would always be mine, just because poor Damian needed guidance. _It was all I had left, Bruce._ What reason is there for me to stay?"

"You became Red Robin--"

"To find you. You've been found. You've been back for months, leaving Dick as Batman, Damian as Robin in Gotham. You don't need me. But they do, Bruce," he gestured to the still sleeping hatchlings. "They need me, in their lives, not jetting off to foreign countries to deal with whatever the crisis du jour for your Batman Inc. program is. They don't need me dragging myself into the house at three in the morning, bleeding on the floor. They definitely deserve more than being raised by Alfred while I'm off tracking down Intergang." Tim crossed his arms over his chest. "My family comes first, Bruce. They have to. Because if I don't put them first, no one else will."

"I'm with Tim on this one," Roy said when Bruce glanced at him. "Juggling parenthood and heroing is a bitch at times, and I'm not going to tell him that just because I did it, he should. Hell, you think I'm not tempted to give it all up just to raise Lian and the hatchlings?"

Tim turned his head, staring at Roy in surprise. Bruce also looked startled.

"I almost lost her, and I wasn't there for her. I don't know if my presence would have made a difference, but it can now. And it can for them," he said, nodding back to the hatchlings.

"Tim," Bruce said, softer in tone, "why didn't you ever tell me?"

"No metas in Gotham, Bruce. Even though in human form, I'm as human as you or Dick or Jason, I know you. Your dislike of metahumans would have come out, and I needed Robin as much as Batman needed a Robin. I never shifted anywhere inside Gotham, never broke your rule, but can you tell me it would have mattered? I know you have my DNA profile, I know that nothing out of the ordinary shows up on it. And after my dad died, you and Dick were the only family I had. I wasn't about to lose that. Can you honestly tell me I wouldn't have?" He nodded when Bruce said nothing. "I didn't think so."

"What are you going to do?"

"I don't know yet. Other than raise the hatchlings, once they're human, and finish high school and maybe take college courses online. There's still WE if you're letting me run it. If not," he shrugged, "I'll figure something out."

"He won't be doing it alone, presuming he wants my help," Roy said. "I'm not about to abandon him." _'Unlike the rest of you'_ hung unspoken in the air. But Tim could see that Bruce heard it.

"See that you don't," he said. 

Tim snorted. "Not any of your business, Bruce. My life."

Mentor and protege faced each other for long moments, then Bruce finally nodded. "Your life. But Tim, you are still family. You and your children."

"I know, Bruce. I just... need time."

Bruce sighed, but didn't say anything. He pushed his cowl back, revealing his face, and stepped forward, arms slightly outstretched from his side. Tim stilled as Bruce came to a stop in front of him, then reached up and pulled Tim into a hug. "Whenever you're ready, Tim," he murmured into Tim's hair, as Tim's arms came up to return the hug, "we'll be waiting."

Tim held on to Bruce, nodding against his father-figure's chest. Maybe this could work out, after all.

Maybe.

* * *

The teleporter shimmered, and Roy smiled at Donna widely, Lian in his arms. Lian clung to him, though she smiled at Donna. "Aunt Donna!"

"Hey, baby girl," Donna said, coming forward to ruffle her hair. Lian leaned into Roy more, and Roy hugged her tighter, knowing it would be a long time before Lian got over being told that her father was gone. Roy knew it would be a long time before he forgave Dinah for telling Lian that her dad was gone. Yes, Dinah had been under the effect of a spell, but seeing his daughter cry because she'd thought Roy was dead... that wasn't going to leave him anytime soon. 

"Tim is in the Kitchen. He and Diana are talking. Dick is lurking somewhere, to talk to you or Tim, I'm not sure." Donna shrugged. "I know Tim is waiting for you and Lian, though."

Roy nodded, smiling. "Ready to meet your drakonae half-siblings, etai yazi?"

Lian nodded, returning the smile. "Dragons!" 

Heading for the Kitchen, Roy thanked heavens that Lian had taken the idea well. Then again, having been raised around an Amazon warrior, a speedster, and other metahumans, the idea of her dad siring dragon half siblings for her wasn't as much of a shock as it might have been if he'd sheltered Lian from who he was and what he did.

"Will they like me?"

"They will, baby. They'll love you, though they'll probably want to gnaw on your arm. They did on mine." His arm was hurting right now, from carrying Lian, but Doctor Mid-Nite be damned, he was going to hold his baby girl.

They approached the Kitchen and the doors opened. Diana and Tim were on the far end of the artificial cave, talking and gesturing. The hatchlings had been play-fighting with each other, but at Roy's entrance, their heads whipped around, and they made happy little growl-mewls that had Lian giggling. Diana and Tim turned to watch as the hatchlings stumbled over their hind feet on their way to where Roy and Lian stood.

"Lian, these are your drakonae half-siblings. Drakonae, this is your human half-sister Lian." Roy knelt on the floor and set Lian on her feet, making sure he was right behind her. There was still so much damage to her legs that he feared would never heal properly, making it hard for her to stand for long periods of time. 

The drakonae leaned in, sniffing at Lian. She reached out tentatively to pat one on the head. It blinked at her, then stretched out a tongue to lick her, making Lian giggle. The other hatchling, determined not to be left out, shoved its sibling out of the way to lick at Lian. Roy smiled as his baby girl laughed, reaching out to pet both of them, giggling as one gently latched onto her arm and growled playfully. Lian took a step forward at its tug, then lost her balance and fell, giving a cry of pain.

The hatchling let go of her arm and immediately curled up in front of Lian, head on her legs, its scales turning so pale they were almost white. The other hatchling curled up on Lian's right side, making sympathetic noises.

"You okay, baby?" Roy asked her, worried she'd hurt herself.

Lian nodded, leaning forward to rest her head against the one in her lap. But her shoulders were twitching in a way Roy knew was her trying to repress tears, and he reached out to tentatively put a hand on her shoulder. Lian flinched away from it, and Roy stared at her, hand in the air, feeling lost that his baby didn't want his comfort.

"It'll be all right, Roy," Diana said softly as she approached. She knelt on one knee next to him and patted his shoulder. "Your family is strong, and it will be all right. She's just overwhelmed right now. Let her cry, let her siblings be there for her. You'll be there when she's ready, and she will be ready for her father's comfort."

Roy nodded, keeping his eyes on Lian. Diana patted his shoulder again before standing, and Roy was vaguely aware of her leaving the room.

"Here," Tim said at his elbow, offering Roy a mug of tea. "This should help." He had a second mug in his other hand, and he set it next to Lian before sitting by Roy, leaning into the other man, offering his own brand of quiet comfort. Roy sipped at the tea, putting his arm around Tim as he waited for Lian to come back to them. Idly, he wondered what blend of tea it was. It had a strange smoky flavor that he didn't recognize. 

Eventually Lian looked up, tear marks on her face. She saw Tim sitting next to Roy and gave him a tentative smile. "You're Uncle Nightwing's brother, Robin."

Tim smiled, but gave a shrug. "I'm just Tim, now. And you're Roy's daughter Lian."

Nodding, Lian picked up the mug and sniffed at it before drinking some. "Daddy says you're a dragon."

"Drakonae, actually," Tim replied. "And your half siblings are my children."

Lian's nose wrinkled. "Boys don't have babies."

Tim and Roy chuckled. "Drakonae boys can," Tim said. "But it's a rather long story."

Frowning, Lian took another drink of her tea, a longer one that drained the mug. Roy finished his own tea watching her. "What are their names?" Lian finally asked.

"I don't know yet." Tim smiled at the trio. "Until they turn into their human forms, I don't know if they are boys or girls, so I haven't named them."

"Stacy and Tracy?" Lian asked with a giggle. "There are boys _and_ girls in my school with those names!"

Laughing, Tim turned to nuzzle at Roy. "What do you think?"

"I think I'd like to see them in human form first," he said, not exactly thrilled with the choices. 

Tim chuckled as he took Roy's mug from him and Lian's from her before standing. He carried them back over to the other side of the cave. Lian yawned then, prompting yawns from both hatchlings and Roy. "Come on, etai yazi," he said, standing, "I think it's nap time."

"Wanna stay here," Lian said stubbornly, leaning into the hatchling at her side. 

Roy looked over at Tim. "That okay?" Roy thought Lian might do better in a bed, but he couldn't deny the adorable picture she made in a pile with the hatchlings, who had shifted so they were lying on either side of a now prone Lian, facing so one's head was by her head, the other's head by her feet. Guarding her from all directions. He pulled out his phone to take a picture.

"Of course it is," Tim replied as he came back over. "I'll shift into drakonae form once you're both asleep." He bit his lip, watching Lian and the hatchlings.

"What makes you think I'm going to nap?" Roy asked, even as he yawned again while putting his phone away.

Tim sighed. "You may never forgive me for this."

Startled, Roy took a step closer to Tim. "What?"

Looking up at Roy with a nervous expression, Tim bit his lip again. "You know why everyone was after the eggs, because they're supposed to be some universal cure?"

"Right. You said they weren't."

"Well. The eggs aren't. But the shells are, after the eggs have hatched and when the shells are properly cured."

"Okay," Roy said. "So, you destroyed the shells, right? I heard Diana asking you that, and you nodded. And I didn't see them in the cave before we had to leave," he added with another yawn. He turned to nuzzle at Tim's hair, wondering if he could convince Tim to nap with him, in human form this time.

"Not all of them," Tim said. "I, um, kept just enough to make two doses of the cure."

Roy tugged at Tim, sitting both of them down on the floor, pulling Tim into his arms. "Huh. How does that work, serve the shards as a snack?"

"In a tea, actually," Tim said softly, going still in Roy's arms. 

Roy blinked as that made it through his brain. _Tea._ "You... you son of a bitch," he slurred as he collapsed against the ground, sleep pulling him under.

"I'm sorry, Roy," he heard Tim whisper as he fell asleep. "I'm sorry."

* * *

Roy woke in the infirmary, blinking at the ceiling. He remembered Tim's whispered confession just as he also realized that, for the first time since Prometheus' attack on the Watchtower, he wasn't in pain, and he could feel all his fingers.

"Roy."

He turned his head to see Dick, in Batman costume but with his cowl pushed back, a worried look on his face.

"Lian's fine," Dick said, jerking his head toward Roy's other side. Roy sat up, ignoring the IV in his left arm to look at his baby. She slept, oblivious to everything, in the bed next to him. Doctor Mid-Nite and Wonder Woman stood at the end of her bed. Doctor Mid-Nite noticed Roy and came over.

"Roy, how do you feel?"

"Like Prometheus never happened. How's Lian?" He slid off the bed and walked over to hers. Doctor Mid-Nite didn't stop him.

"Like Star City never happened, at least physically," Doctor Mid-Nite said. "I can see why so many people were after the eggs, if this is the result. Even some older injuries that weren't quite healed correctly are healed now, for both of you. The nerve damage, muscle damage, everything is healed."

Roy reached out to squeeze Lian's hand. She had an IV in her arm as well. "Why the IV?"

"You've both been out for a few days while you healed," Diana replied. "It's a side effect of the cure, to ensure there is no pain during the process."

He blinked at her. "A few days?" When she nodded, he turned to look at Dick. "Where's Tim?"

Dick looked away. "We don't know."

Narrowing his eyes, Roy took a step back toward Dick. "You don't know?"

"Tim left with the hatchlings not long after you and Lian were dosed with the cure," Dick said. "Bruce and Clark are looking for him, but they've not been having much luck. Tim is really good at hiding when he wants to," Dick added. "I don't know why he left, though."

"Why did he dose Lian and I without telling us first?" Roy asked.

Diana's head snapped up. "He didn't tell you?"

"Not until I was falling asleep from it, and Lian was already asleep." Roy ran his free hand through his hair. "I think I called him a son of a bitch."

Dick sighed. "Damn it, Tim," he muttered.

"What?" Donna asked as she entered the room. 

"Tim didn't tell Roy he was using the cure on him and Lian until they'd already ingested it." Diana shook her head. "While I knew he was preparing the cure for you, I presumed he had already discussed it, or would be discussing it, with you. I can't imagine why he wouldn't."

"He probably thought Roy would say no," Donna said. "And once he'd prepared the shell-tea, it had to be consumed within a certain amount of time."

"But he could have mentioned it to me beforehand."

"Lifetime of secrecy, Roy," Donna said. "As drakonae and as Robin, now Red Robin. Telling people the secrets behind the tea is hard for drakonae. The only reason Diana and I know about the tea is because we're Amazons." 

"And then he ran because he probably thinks you won't want anything to do with him now that's he's drugged you against your will," Dick said. "He doesn't do well with rejection."

Roy growled. "I'm not going to reject him, damn it. I'm not you, or Bruce."

"Hey!" Dick shouted, standing, fists clenched at his side. "I didn't--"

"You did, Dick. You pushed him aside in favor of Damian. Look, I know the kid needed guidance, but Tim needed something to hold on to as well. He needed his _family_."

"Roy--" Donna began.

"No, Donna, Dick needs to hear this. Because this is part of the reason Tim told Bruce he's not going back to Gotham. He doesn't feel like he's wanted any more." Roy laughed bitterly. "Despite what I told Bruce, Tim probably thinks I'm going to push him away as well, and figured he'd leave first, make it easier for me to walk away by drugging me and Lian without my knowing. Yes, I'm pissed at him for that, but I'm not giving up on him. I'm not letting him go without a fight, whether he wants it or not."

"Good," Kara said as she entered the infirmary, arms over her chest. "Because I know where Tim is."

Everyone turned to her. "Where?" Dick asked eagerly.

"I'm only telling Roy, and Lian," Kara said. "They get to work it out first. Then it's up to Tim if I tell anyone else."

Roy looked at Mid-Nite. "Can we get these IVs out so Lian and I can go?"

Doctor Mid-Nite nodded, moving toward Roy. "I'll want you to check back in, but considering there appears to be no lingering medical issues, I don't see why you can't go." He smiled under his cowl. "And it sounds like you have quite the discussion ahead of you. Good luck."

"Thanks."

As Doctor Mid-Nite took out Lian's IV, without waking her, Dick approached. "Roy. Look, I--"

"Dick. I know. You were under a spell." Roy looked at his best friend. "But you can't tell me that the spell created feelings and worries out of nothing, instead of magnifying what was already there. Which means you were already worried that I'd abandon Lian for drugs, despite everything we'd been through, every time I could have gone back on drugs and didn't, in worse circumstances than this." Dick's face didn't move, but he could see the guilt in Dick's eyes. "That's what I thought." Roy sighed. "We are definitely going to have to talk about this, 'mano, but not until after I get things straightened out with Tim. He comes first, yeah?" he asked, hoping Dick would understand. Dick was his brother, his best friend, his fellow Titan, but Tim was family, closer than Ollie and Connor and Mia now.

"All right," Dick said. "Tell Tim that I miss him?" he asked.

"Yeah, I will." Roy scooped up a sleeping Lian and looked at Kara. "Ready to go, Supergirl?"

The Kryptonian woman smiled. "Let's go."

* * *

Superboy was waiting for them on the beach they teleported down to. "Arsenal," he said with a nod. He looked over at his cousin. "He has no clue we're bringing them."

"Great," Supergirl said. "Roy, we'll need to fly there, do you trust me with Lian while Kon takes you?"

Roy nodded and handed Lian to Kara. "I know where Tim keeps his kryptonite," he said with a smile, half in jest, half threat. Kara, fortunately, took it as it was meant-a worried father's words.

"I'll be careful with her, Roy." Kara lifted off and began flying low over the water, at a speed that would hopefully not wake Lian.

Turning, Roy offered his wrists to Kon. The Teen of Steel grabbed them and lifted off. Roy gave a little grunt as he was lifted by his arms, but the pain wasn't nearly what it would have been before Tim had given him the cure.

"You may know where Tim keeps his kryptonite," Kon said over the rush of wind as they flew. "But heat vision doesn't require close quarters to be effective, if you get my drift."

Roy couldn't help but smile. "Threatening me on Tim's behalf?"

"Someone has to, and he's my best friend. Doubt Dick will."

"Bruce sort of did."

"Good. Of course, you still have Alfred to get through," Kon added.

"Not looking forward to that," Roy admitted as an island came into view. "What is this place?" There didn't appear to be much to it except a medium sized house set well back from the shore, surrounded by retaining walls.

"Tim's, apparently. I don't ask, man, he might actually tell me that he stole it from Ra's al Ghul or some other villain."

Roy chuckled. "Yeah, he just might."

"Only reason I know about it is he asked me and Kara to help get him and the hatchlings out here. You guys have some cute dragon kids, Arsenal."

"Drakonae," Roy corrected absently, eyes scanning the house as they got closer, looking for Tim.

"Yeah, that." Kon sounded amused. "Anyway, he's got this place fortified to ensure that no one can find it until he wants them too. Not that he wanted you to find it, but he didn't actually ask us to not let you out here. Just asked us to keep Clark and Batman and everyone else away."

Ahead, Kara had settled to the ground, Lian still in her arms. His daughter was awake, looking around. "Daddy?" she asked, as Kon lowered Roy to the ground.

"Hey, baby, how do you feel?"

Lian reached for him, and he took her from Kara. "I don't hurt!" she said, blinking up at him. 

Roy hugged her tightly, feeling tears prickle in his eyes. "That's wonderful, baby."

Kara smiled. "That path leads up to the house. We better take off, make sure the big guys haven't tracked us."

"Just yell if you need a ride back," Kon added as the two cousins took off.

"Who lives here, daddy?"

"Tim does, etai yazi."

"I get to see my brothers or sisters again?" she asked with a bright smile, pushing against him and wriggling. Roy set her down and she grabbed his hand, tugging as she ran for the path. "Come on, daddy!"

"I'm coming," Roy said, stumbling a little to catch up with her, watching her walk without help, without pain. For this sight alone, he could forgive Tim. But he still wanted to talk to him.

They broke through the tree line at the entrance to the house, and Roy's breath caught at the sight of Tim, on the porch, in a hanging swing, a baby cradled in his arms as he fed it. 

"Tim!" Lian yelled, startling the younger man into looking up at them, surprised. She ran forward, and Roy followed, giving Tim a smile. With any luck, he wouldn't be sleeping in guest room tonight.

* * *

Tim looked up at Lian's shout of his name. He blinked in surprise as she ran up the path toward him, Roy following in her wake. Shifting so there was room on the swing, he pulled Lyla closer, looking down at her as she made a noise, but she was staring up at him with blue eyes that held a hint of green, greedily drinking from her bottle.

"They're babies!" Lian shrieked. Lyla flailed her arms and legs at the sound, but didn't stop drinking. No noise came from the baby monitor on Tim's left, so her brother hadn't woken up.

"Yes, they're babies now. They'll turn back into drakonae when they're older." Tim looked over Lian, seeing how much better she looked from the last time he'd seen her on the Watchtower. Lian climbed onto the swing and peered at Lyla, who blinked back at her. "This is Lyla," Tim said. "Your sister." 

Lian reached out with a finger, and Lyla grabbed onto it, shaking it as she drank. Lian giggled. "Hi Lyla!"

"And the other baby?" Roy asked.

"Hadn't decided on his name yet," Tim said, glancing at Roy.

"Where is he?" Roy asked.

"Asleep in the house." When Lyla finished eating, Tim handed the bottle to Lian, shifting Lyla so he could burp her. When that was taken care of, he stood, keeping the sleepy infant on his shoulder. "Let's go meet him while I put Lyla down for her nap." 

They followed him through the house to the nursery. Both cribs were in this room, along with the daybed Tim slept on. The twins, as he had been calling them in his head, were on their own schedules, and it was easier to sleep in the nursery with them, as the master bedroom was on the other side of the house.

As he put Lyla into her crib, he heard Lian walk over to the other crib and make a noise at it's occupant. He stayed asleep, fortunately. Tim ran a hand over Lyla's dark hair and made sure she was comfortable, that she wouldn't turn over in her sleep. He checked on her brother, too. Just as dark haired as Lyla, but his eyes lacked the hint of green.

Roy was looking into the crib with an expression that made Tim's heart twist. He had wanted to stay, to explain everything, to give Roy the choice for himself and Lian, but... Donna had brought up the symbolon to him, and then Wonder Woman had mentioned it to him as well, in the Kitchen as he'd made the tea with the cure, offering to assist in the ritual if he and Roy chose to go through with it. 

_Wonder Woman smiled. “You and Roy seem right together, as a symbolon pair should.”_

_Something inside Tim went cold at that, though he kept speaking with her. He couldn't do that, couldn't tie Roy to him in such a fashion. When Roy left him, that bond would be there, keeping Tim from trying to move on, keeping him tied to Roy more than just the hatchlings would._

_Tim looked down at the tea he'd prepared with the shards of the hatchlings eggs. The shells had been cured with flame from his drakonae form, ground to powder, and steeped in water boiled over a fire he'd started as drakonae. The traditional method of making the cure. He'd meant to offer the cure to Roy and Lian, give them a choice. It would let them be healthy again, let Roy stop worrying about Lian and medical bills. But if he just gave it to them, they'd fall asleep while it worked, and he could leave. Best to make a clean break, before Roy got too tied down with Tim and the hatchlings and things he didn't need in his life._

_Maybe, if he'd were the one to leave first, it wouldn't hurt as much._

Shaking off the memories of that last day on the Watchtower, Tim bit his lip. He'd thought it would be a clean break, but he knew he'd just been fooling himself. Leaving first had made no difference in how much it hurt.

"Can I stay with them?" Lian asked.

"They're sleeping, etai yazi. Not much good for playing. You'd need to be quiet."

"I can be quiet!"

Tim gave her a smile. "I have some books here you can read, while they sleep." He pointed to a basket with children's books next to the rocking chair. Lian rummaged through the box and pulled out one, kicking her shoes off as she climbed onto the daybed and opened it, clearly settling down to be quiet so she could stay with her siblings.

Tim and Roy exchanged looks before leaving the room. Tim headed back to the porch, where the baby monitor was. Enough privacy for him and Roy, but they could keep an ear on their children. "I'm guessing Kon and Kara told you where I was."

"Yeah." Roy walked over to the railing. "Who's place is this?"

Tim couldn't help the smirk. "It was Ra's al Ghul's at one point. Been mine for a few years now."

"Does he know that?"

"We've come to terms on this place. He leaves it alone, I don't blow up any more of his bases." Tim sat down in the porch swing, staring at his hands.

"I don't hate you."

He didn't look up at Roy's words. "How could you not? I drugged you and your daughter against your will and left you."

"Yeah, you did. But I think I know why. Not saying I like it, and I'm really not happy you thought taking the kids was a good idea, but I understand. Easier to be the one that leaves than the one that's always left behind." Roy leaned against a support post, crossing his arms over his chest. "But I refuse to be left behind here. Not when we have two kids that are ours, plus Lian. I don't care what happens with Bruce, or Dick, or the rest of your family. I only care about what happens to _our_ family, Tim. You, me, Lian, Lyla, and Baby Boy to be named later Drake-Harper."

"I couldn't tie you to me, Roy. Not with symbolon, or even just regular ties."

"What's symbolon?" Roy sounded confused.

Tim sighed. "I told you drakonae are shapeshifters by the grace of the Greek Gods. They also gave us a bond, if you will, with, well, our soul mates. Not that it's easy to find that person, there's no magic halo nimbus around them the first time you see them, no name written on your wrist or anything. And there's no guarantee that you'll stay together, there's a ritual that needs to be done that makes it permanent, but it's still there--"

"Breathe, Tim," Roy said with a smile, sitting down next to him. "So, we might have this bond?"

"We do have this bond, Zatanna saw it when she was testing you and Dick for magical interference. But that doesn't mean it's destined." Tim sighed and looked up at Roy. "That moment, in Berlin, when you said kissing me felt right? That's the start of the bond, but it takes closeness, emotional and physical, to really show. Apparently, we got close enough waiting for the hatchlings to hatch that the bond did show. But that doesn't mean anything, doesn't mean you have to be tied to me."

"Tim, I'm already tied to you. No matter what, no matter if we complete this symbolon or not, we're tied together. And despite being aggravated with you at the moment, I'm not breaking that tie." Roy put his arm around Tim's shoulder, pulling him into a hug. "You gave me my baby girl back, healthier than ever. We have two children together, and beyond that, Tim, I like you." 

Roy nuzzled at Tim's hair, and Tim turned his face into Roy's shirt. "I want to be with you, Tim. I won't promise forever, because our lives have never worked that way, but I promise that if I start acting like Bruce, or Dick, you have my permission to smack me."

Tim huffed out a laugh. "You're more likely to have to do that to me. And you have my permission to do so."

"Good," Roy said, smiling.

They sat there for a while, listening to the sound of the ocean and Lian's soft humming through the baby monitor. Finally, Tim shifted, looking up at Roy. He took a deep breath, more nervous about this than anything in his life, except for telling Batman he needed a Robin. "I want... I want to try. Us. This family. I--"

Roy leaned in and kissed Tim. "I want to try, too. You, me, and the kids."

Tim smiled. "Family," he said, kissing Roy again, shifting so he sat on Roy's lap. Their kissing session was interrupted by a cry from the baby monitor. Tim pulled back with a shy smile. "Our son is awake."

"Michael," Roy said, nuzzling at Tim's cheek. "I like the name Michael. We can pick a middle name later." 

Tim slid off Roy's lap to stand. "Michael." He gave a small laugh. "What about Michael Theodore?"

"Michael Theodore Drake-Harper." Roy laughed as he put his arm around Tim to walk into the house. "You want to name our son after Booster Gold and Blue Beetle?"

"Why not?" He hadn't thought about it until now, but it made sense. He'd liked Ted Kord, and this seemed like a good way to honor the man's memory.

"Why not indeed."

Lian met them at the door to the nursery. "The baby's awake. And smelly," she added with a wrinkle to her nose.

"That's your brother Michael," Roy said as Tim picked the baby up and took him to the changing table. Remarkably, Lyla was still asleep. 

"Are we staying here with Tim and Lyla and Michael, Daddy?" Lian asked, tugging on Roy's hand. Tim finished changing Michael and picked him up, cradling his head on Tim's shoulder. Turning to face Roy, Tim couldn't help the small nuzzle his gave his son.

Roy's eyes met Tim's and Tim smiled at the promise he saw in Roy's eyes. Not a promise of forever, Tim had been burned before with those promises. But a promise that he wouldn't just walk away without a word, without coming back if he could. A promise Tim could believe, and maybe, one day, he'd be able to believe more.

"Yeah, etai yazi, we're staying here with Tim and Lyla and Michael."

"How long?"

Tim knelt down to Lian's height. "For as long as you and your dad want, Lian."

She came over, tugging Roy with her. Reaching out, she let Michael grab her finger. "What if we want to stay forever?" she asked softly.

Tim looked up at Roy, his own promise in his eyes, a promise not to walk away again, not to push Roy and Lian away for fear they'd leave, not without talking first. "I'd like that," he said. "I'd like that a lot."

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Symbolon (fanmix)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/576971) by [somehowunbroken](https://archiveofourown.org/users/somehowunbroken/pseuds/somehowunbroken)




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